It Is What It Is by Nancy L. Eady

As I mentioned once in another post, some phrases and words have crept into English that irritate me. In addition to the ubiquitous “actually,” “reach out” is high on that list. When people send me emails or call me on the telephone asking for things, they love to start the conversation with “I am reaching out to....” It reminds of a starving Dickensian orphan holding out an empty bowl and asking, “Please sir, can I have some more?” The other image I get is of the person extending their arm out and downwards to yank me away from a peril I am too foolish to avoid on my own. At least the phrase has not entered my vocabulary, even if linguistic dexterity is required to avoid using it on occasion. 

“It is what it is” bothers me even more than “reach out” because I catch myself using the phrase. Sadly, there are some situations the phrase describes quite accurately. Sometimes I use it to express defeat where I’ve tried everything I can think of to fix a situation, and it still remains broken. But then there are other times when it expresses a more Zen-like feeling, an acceptance that there are things in this world I cannot change, leaving me free to focus on the things I can change. 

I was curious as to how and when the phrase slid into our language, so I did my usual extensive research, care of Google. According to an article written by Mary Gormandy White, M.A. for www.yourdictionary.com on June 9, 2021, the first known written use of the phrase was in The Nebraska State Journal in 1949. A writer named J. E. Lawrence wrote the following: 

New land is harsh, and vigorous, and sturdy. It scorns evidence of weakness. There is nothing of sham or hypocrisy in it. It is what it is, without apology.

Eloquent, isn’t it? 

The Wikipedia entry for the phrase is short, but it does hold the interesting fact that the phrase is a “tautophrase.” A tautophrase is a phrase or sentence that defines a term by repeating that term. Other tautophrases include “call a spade a spade” and “boys will be boys.” The word “tautophrase” is related to, but not to be confused with, “tautology.” According to Merriam Webster’s website, a “tautology” can be a “needless repetition of an idea, statement or word” or an “instance of such repetition.” An example of this type of tautology would be “a new beginner” or “free gift.” In addition, if you are a student of logic, a tautology can be “a statement that is true by virtue of its logical form alone.” “A win is a win” is an example of a logical tautology. 

And that’s my post for today. It is what it is. 

What phrases/words aggravate you? Are there any tautologies you remember?