Date:    Sat, 16 May 1998 10:33:55 -0500
<br>From:    Gerald Cohen <gcohen[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UMR.EDU>
<br>Subject: Re: "Is it raining out?"
<br>
<br>  A 5/14/98 ads-l message asked:
<br>
<br>>Is it due to regional differences that when asking about the weather some
<br>>say,"is it raining out?" and others simply, "is it raining?"?  why include
<br>>the "out"?  it's not raining in.
<br>
<br>     ----The "out" here possibly originated in sentences of the type "Is it
<br>nice out?"  (where "out" = "outside" is justifiably used).   Possible
<br>answer (with transference of "out" from the preceding question):  "No, it's
<br>raining out." (where "out" is unnecessary). Then the latter sentence could
<br>be turned into a question: "Is it raining out?"
<br>
<br>     In the arcana of general-linguistic theory is a "Law of Least Effort,"
<br>according to which  speakers use only the minimal effort necessary to get
<br>their point across.  This so-called law is contradicted by "out" in "Is it
<br>raining out?"
<br>
<br>--Gerald Cohen
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>gcohen[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]umr.edu
<br>