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Why? Because! /elliptic/

nizzebro

Senior Member
Russian
I'm not sure about the English phrase in the title, but I hope it works as I expect.

Backstory: I was watching a YouTube vid, and then they ran an intetmidiate add in German (due to the proxy server from Germany - geopolitics, you know) and the performer in the add pompously said "Warum??", to which I impatiently and sarcastically reacted with "Warum? Darum!".
In German, as I understand it, this sequnce is idiomatic - especially since it rhymes, just like in Russian (PochemUh? (Da) PotomUh!) - in Russian I can additionally insert "da" in between (the outdated "and"-like conjuction/particle in the role close to "well/okay").

Now I'm curious about universality of this pattern, and how its (non-) rhymed status, can affect it's expressivity.
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This as far as I can see it over here, it would probably be an appropriate exchange between young children (and those imitating them) in a form of banter. It works on that level in both English and Welsh.

A: Why? (Pam?)
B: Because! (Achos!)

This sequence can be repeated ad nauseam, with A becoming increasingly frustrated by B's non-answer and B taking pleasure at A's frustration. (You can tell I've been on the 'receiving' - as well as the 'giving' - end of such 'conversations'!)
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This sequence can be repeated ad nauseam,
Aha, interesting - I see that in English as well, you can continue it as "because why?" and seems like the whole concept feels more childish. In Russian, the recursion is possible, but not so much idiomatic, and although the phrasing is also initially childish, you can often hear it from adults as a form of suppressed irritation.
At least in Brazilian Portuguese:

Por quê?
Porque sim.

Literally:
Why?
Because yes.
in Brazilian Portuguese
Same in Italian. We have:
Perché?
Perché sì!
( Why? Because yes! )

On the other hand, in the German 'Warum?Darum!' (#1) there is not only a rhyme, but the literal meaning is 'Why?Because of it!' (cf.Engl. what for?Therefore! - just for comparison). Such meaning is not so different from 'Perché?Perché sì!' - except we don't have the rhyme..
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Same in Italian. We have:
Perché?
Perché sì!
( Why? Because yes! )

I'd add that, if the question is negative, you can also respond "Perché no!"

Perché sì! and Perché no! are rather rude answers, and are especially given to nagging children.

- Perché devo andare a scuola?
- Perché sì!
(Why do I have to go to school? Because yes!)

- Perché non andiamo al mare?
- Perché no! (*)
(Why don't we go to the beach? Because no!)

(*) Not to be confused with "Perché no?", which means "Why not?" (the intonation changes).

Another (joking) answer you can give to avoid actually answering is:
Perché due non fa tre!
which means: because two isn't equal to three.

(Edit: corrected "Because not→no".)
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- Perché devo andare a scuola?
- Perché sì!
(Why do I have to go to school? Because yes!)

- Perché non andiamo al mare?
- Perché no! (*)
(Why don't we go to the beach? Because not!)
Interesting. Also possible in Russian.
Also possible in Brazil. Colloquial Brazilian variety:

Por que eu tenho que ir pra escola?
Porque sim!

Por que a gente não vai pra praia?
Porque não!
Interesting. Also possible in Russian.
Honestly, I can only imagine it after the kids repeat their "why" over and over again, and then rather as "because no and that's it" or otherwise "because we don't go".

I feel like what matters is the functionality of the particle - so, in Italian it seems to cover the "not" function, while in Russian it is a pure anwering "no" and besides that is used as "there's no/ got no", which can indirectly affect its application in this case.
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Honestly, I can only imagine it after the kids repeat their "why" over and over again, and then rather as "because no and that's it" or otherwise "because we don't go".
Yes! It is exactly the same in Italian!

I feel like what matters is the functionality of the particle - so, in Italian it seems to cover the "not" function, while in Russian it is a pure anwering "no" and besides that is used as "there's no/ got no", which can indirectly affect its application in this case.
Sorry, I should have written "Because no!" (not "Because not!"): so, for us, too, it's a pure "no" answer! I'll correct that in my previous post.
Honestly, I can only imagine it after the kids repeat their "why" over and over again, and then rather as "because no and that's it" or otherwise "because we don't go".

I feel like what matters is the functionality of the particle - so, in Italian it seems to cover the "not" function, while in Russian it is a pure anwering "no" and besides that is used as "there's no/ got no", which can indirectly affect its application in this case.
Sure, but it's not just for kids, it's used whenever you can afford overbearing demeanor. And I could tell that the Italian version worked the same way, as clarified later on by Tirrenico.
(...) On the other hand, in the German 'Warum?Darum!' (#1) there is not only a rhyme, but the literal meaning is 'Why?Because of it!' (cf.Engl. what for?Therefore! - just for comparison). Such meaning is not so different from 'Perché?Perché sì!' - except we don't have the rhyme..
Dutch has the same phenomenon: "Waarom ... ? Daarom!" Much of its "force" lies of coursee in the rhyme or reduplication. But I do not hear it anymore, I think. it used to be very common among parents with children growing up and not giving up asking questions. I suppose that style (total refusal to answer, rejecting natural curiosity) it is no longer appreciated
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