Query: Origin of "How come?"

[Dennis R. Preston]

Well, I would guess it comes from "How come you to (they to, etc...)"
before do-support took over in English. (Then you don't have to
propose so much funny deletion).

dInIs



   I've received a query about the origin of the expression "How
come?" as in "How come nobody thought of calling home?"

    I assume "How come?" arose by shortening from "How does/did it
come about that...?" Or am I missing something here?

Gerald Cohen

--
Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
      Asian & African Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
e-mail: preston at msu.edu
phone: (517) 353-9290