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the fact is, is that...

English translation: The fact that . . .

11:16 Nov 25, 2008
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics
English term or phrase: the fact is, is that...
The context is about the practical use of language not conforming to or evolving out of the strict rules of grammar:
"Can the argument really be sustained - an argument dear to the hearts of prescirptivist teachers - that muddle in action can be traced to muddled thought, and muddled thought to muddled language? Most scientists can't write for toffee, yet in their professional life who practices exact thinking better than them? Might the uncomfortable truth not be that ordinary people use language as exactly as they feel to be required by the circumstances, that the test they use is whether their interlocutor gets their meaning, that in most cases an interlocutor who shares their language can quickly and easily and successfully work out their meaning, and therefore the lapses of concord or bizarreties of syntax ("The fact is, is that...") make no practical difference?

i can't really tell where the lapse of concord or bizarrety of syntax lies in a, "The fact is, is that..." type of expression, or more practically, since i need it for turkish translation, what would be the open form - if there's any - of a "The fact is, is that..." type of expression (perhaps an exemplary sentence would do better?)
vitaminBcomplex
Local time: 17:59
Selected answer:The fact that . . .
Explanation:
The bizarrety (is this really a word?) is the bad grammar of "the fact is, is that . . ." It should be "The fact is that . . ." Actually, in writing, it would be better to do without the phrase altogether and just state the fact, rather than announce it with "The fact is that . . ."

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Note added at 39 mins (2008-11-25 11:56:05 GMT)
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Of course I meant "The fact is that" . . .
Selected response from:

Suzan Hamer
Netherlands
Local time: 16:59
Grading comment
thanx
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6The fact that . . .
Suzan Hamer
4The fact is that it makes no practical difference
Gary D


  

Answers


34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
The fact that . . .


Explanation:
The bizarrety (is this really a word?) is the bad grammar of "the fact is, is that . . ." It should be "The fact is that . . ." Actually, in writing, it would be better to do without the phrase altogether and just state the fact, rather than announce it with "The fact is that . . ."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2008-11-25 11:56:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Of course I meant "The fact is that" . . .

Suzan Hamer
Netherlands
Local time: 16:59
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
thanx

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ken Cox: 'The fact is, is that' is given here as an example of grammatically incorrect but (supposedly) common colloquial speech (IMO the writer (unintentionally) provides a good example for his argument, complete with grammatical errors and invented terms.)
18 mins
  -> Yes, thanks, Ken. I hope he's talking only about speech, and not written English. Once you let "bizarrities" like this go in writing, it's the beginning of a slippery slope to just plain really bad writing.
agree  John Bowden: The extra "is" is heard a lot nowadays - almost as a pause for thought - I've heard "The problem being is that..", "The problem was is that.."and even "In my opinion is that..."!! You never read it though, it's always in speech. Is it more BE than AE?
43 mins
  -> Thanks, John. Yes, in speech OK; almost nobody speaks 100% grammatically correct English, especially when speaking off the cuff. (I agree, it often seems a pause for thought.) But I would hope no good editor would let this go in written English.
agree  David Knowles: "The fact is that ..." Yes, it's common in interviews, and seems to be caused by pausing for thought.
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, David.
agree  Gunilla Zedigh
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Gunilla.
agree  Demi Ebrite: I have heard it frequently used when transcribing interviews, but that does not make it correct, in fact it hurts the ears, and I have a hard time typing it as spoken ~ which I must do . . . I 'hear' it from both BE & AE speakers!
11 hrs
  -> Ah yes. I used to do a lot of transcribing, debrite, and I know how it hurts to hear and hurts to have to type it too. What causes me even more pain is to hear a news reader or presenter make such mistakes. Makes me want to throw something at the screen.
agree  Paula Vaz-Carreiro
23 hrs
  -> Thank you, Paula
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The fact is that it makes no practical difference


Explanation:
The fact is that it makes no practical difference


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Note added at 1 hr (2008-11-25 13:15:49 GMT)
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The facts are, that it makes no practical difference?

Gary D
Local time: 00:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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