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katsudon  #107195  Fri, 10 Jun 05 06:03 AM
I did see some English speakers say something like "the reason is because" in one forum which I didn't recall the website.What I want to ask is that Can we use "the reason is because " in a informal occasion or it is totally wrong. If it wrong,why some people use it ? I am totally confused.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Of course you can use, "the reason is because", Tony. All language is useable. As you've astutely noted, all we have to do is decide where it is appropriate to use a particular collocation.
  
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apet  #107198  Fri, 10 Jun 05 06:08 AM
yes, I was also told that "the reason is because..." is wrong in my high school, while "the reason is that..." is correct.
"that" here is introducing a predicative clause.
the reason is something, something happens because...
So, some advice from some native speakers shall be better
  
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I want to be... I am a beginner of English, although i've been learning English for many years. I can't even write something due to my poor skill. So, shall there be any...
katsudon  #107200  Fri, 10 Jun 05 06:12 AM
AHD:

http://www.bartleby.com/64/C002/024.html

A traditional rule holds that the construction "the reason is because" is redundant, and should be avoided in favor of "the reason is that". The usage is well established, however, and can be justified by analogy to sentences in which so that follows purpose, as in His purpose in calling her was so that she would be forewarned of the change in schedule.

A similar construction employs the conjunction when after the noun time, as in The last time I saw her was when she was leaving for college. You may find these constructions inelegant, however.
=====================

I'm as native as they come, Apet.

Googled - 130,000 English pages for "the reason is because".
  
paco2004  #107202  Fri, 10 Jun 05 06:23 AM
Hello Tonyoung

I'm sorry but I'm Japanese. In my language we say "The reason is that ..." or "It is by the reason/cause that ....".

By the way, I found a similar question and the answer to it in Webster's grammar QA site.

[Question]
When my mother was in high school she had a teacher that would would give her an F on a paper if she used "is because," for instance, "It is because of the sun that there is light on the earth." I have no idea why it is wrong or even if it is wrong, but every time I say "is because" in my mother's presence she corrects me.

I have tried to do some research on the Web to find the answer but have had no luck. The only thing that I could find was something that said "the reason is because" is wrong because it is redundant and should be changed to "the reason is that." This still doesn't answer my question because I am concerned about why my mother thinks the word "is" followed by the word "because" is incorrect in any circumstance. Your help is appreciated.

[Answer]
This is the first I've heard of this objection. Burchfield speaks directly to this issue: "It is also in order to use because after an introductory , , , ." And then he gives several examples from "reputable sources." The fact that Burchfield brings this up, however, suggests that there must be some writers who object to the construction. Perhaps they're objecting to a clause that explains why coming after a linking verb? Or perhaps, as you suggest, it's a carry-over from a quite reasonable objection to the redundant "the reason is because." In any case, Burchfield says that "That's because . . . " or "it's because . . . " is acceptable in both speech and writing.

Authority: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage edited by R.W. Burchfield. Clarendon Press: Oxford, England. 1996. Used with the permission of Oxford University Press. (under "because")


paco
  
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CalifJim  #107221  Fri, 10 Jun 05 07:58 AM
But CaliJim ,I did see some English speakers say something like "the reason is because" in one forum which I didn't recall the website.What I want to ask is that Can we use "the reason is because " in a informal occasion or it is totally wrong. If it wrong,why some people use it ? I am totally confused.


People say and do wrong things all the time all over the world. That part of it shouldn't surprise you or confuse you! Smile [:)]

Let's put it this way: Use "the reason is that". Always. When you become totally expert and fluent at speaking English and immersed in some English-speaking culture, you will by then have made up your mind whether you wish to continue to use only "the reason is that" or if, judging by those around you, and how they speak, you wish to use "the reason is because" instead. I doubt anybody but the most pedantic would bat an eye to hear it one way or the other. In short, no one will notice which of the two you use.

My recommendation is to concentrate on the obvious things for now, like "If it is wrong, why do some people use it?". The finer points will become easier as your English studies progress.

Smile [:)]
  
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katsudon  #107227  Fri, 10 Jun 05 08:16 AM
It's misleading to suggest that perfectly natural grammatical English is something that one should avoid. If we followed that line of reasoning, we'd all sound like the queen of England. That's hardly a plausible or desirable situation for casual everyday language.

There are, of course, collocations that virtually never show up in academic prose or newspapers but that doesn't mean these collocations are any less language. There are also collocations from academic prose that are never used in speech.

The ESLs who come here ask much more profound language questions than this bugbear.

  
Tonyoung  #107236  Fri, 10 Jun 05 08:41 AM
I now realise that even those English native speakers will make the same mistake as we do.
  
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MrPedantic  #107335  Fri, 10 Jun 05 03:20 PM
...It's misleading to suggest that perfectly natural grammatical English is something that one should avoid...

Grammar isn't everything, K. It's always worth considering the context of a phrase.

In this instance, the context includes the fact that while perfectly grammatical, and commonly used, it will sound strange or flabby or sloppy to some people, since (as CJ has demonstrated) it suggests the speaker hasn't thought about what he's saying. So the phrase is probably best avoided.

As for the Queen's English...Well, if you've heard the speeches that are written for her at the State Opening of Parliament, you'll know that the royal vocal cords are no stranger to foolish phraseology.

Welcome to English Forums, by the way!

MrP
  
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julielai  #107530  Sat, 11 Jun 05 03:17 AM
This reminds me of a little something from my childhood days.

Many years ago -- and I won't say how many Smile [:)] -- my elder sibling and I were watching an Asian beauty pageant on TV. A famous philanthropist was asking the finalists the same question, and after each contestant answered, the philanthropist would ask, "May I know the reason why?" My brother and I laughed our heads off over this -- even secondary school kids like us knew we weren't supposed to put "why" after "reason" -- it was redundant.

But then years passed, and "reason why" and "reason is because" have now become perfectly acceptable English to many.
  
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