For Why?

I've never hear this, and I listent of plenty of American TV.

Do they also say I will tell you to how do it? I will tell you to where go? I will tell you at when he arrives?

I don't know what precise rule you want to reference, but "why" in that construction stands for "the reason," or, more informally, "how come."

If you substitute that back into the sentence, you'd never say "I will tell you for the reason" or "I will tell you for how come." It just makes no sense.

Hi GG
Excellent! If you think you need lessons in English grammar, I can give you some.
Cheers, CB

Hi CB,

I'm missing something. Are you saying that "I'll tell you for why" is a common constrution you hear?

Anonymouscould you please explain to my children (using precise english grammar rule references) why it is wrong to use the expession "for why" (eg I will tell you for why). This has started to appear all over television and eminates from the US but causes the hair on the back of my neck to stand up every tme I hear it.

"For why" sounds wrong to me too, but I think it's pretty futile to look for "precise rules" that forbid it. There are probably dozens of expressions that you use every day that make little sense when analysed grammatically.

Anonymous"for why" (eg I will tell you for why). This has started to appear all over television and eminates from the US

Can you tell us why you think it is wrong?
It's certainly not a new construction. "For why" appears in several places throughout the works of Shakespeare; "tell for why" in The Fifteen Comforts of Matrimony: Responses From Women (1706); and "I'll tell you for why" in Mark Twain's A Tramp Abroad (1880) to mention but a few.

I'm surprised that the U.S. has anything to do with this. I, too, watch a lot of television here in the U.S., and I can't remember ever having heard it.
CJ

CalifJimI'm surprised that the U.S. has anything to do with this. I, too, watch a lot of television here in the U.S., and I can't remember ever having heard it.

Interesting ... I'd have guessed that it was an Americanism (at least in its modern incarnation), possibly for no good reason. Perhaps the British just automatically blame the Americans for anything that they feel is ungrammatical!

Mr WordyPerhaps the British just automatically blame the Americans for anything that they feel is ungrammatical!

Well, I suppose turnabout is fair play!
CJ