Tuesday Stupid Questions Nobody Ever Asks #3 - The thinking I might make this sorta regular edition..

Why do people ask/say questions/statements like "Is it/It is raining/snowing outside?/." ?

Well?

Ok assuming you can't make sense of that because it's jammed with too much stuff for one small sentence, I speak of the tendency for people to tack on an "outside" when they are speaking of precipitation. It is, in case you haven't figured out why I bring it up, redundant. Of course it's raining "outside"! Where else would it be raining? I mean, it doesn't rain inside, due to the tendency of roofs to thwart it's journey, and as we know, most places that are inside, (ie buildings) have these "roofs".

Now, there are unusual structures which have things like skylights, and rundown buildings that have holes in the roof, where you might be technically "inside" while being somewhere that the rain can get you, but assuming you are in a place where it's necessary to ask, or be the one to let others know if/that it's raining, then it's probably quite obvious that inside is not where said precipitation is occurring, seeing as if you/they would already know.

"Outside" is a waste of breath in these circumstances. No need for it! Why do people continue to say it?

*steps off soapbox*