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Question

My wife usually makes me sandwiches. I eat them in the park when it's nice outside.Hi, With the above sentence, can I say, "it refers to the weather"?Thanks.

Khoff · Accepted Answer

Yes.

Liveinjapan · Answer

Thanks, Khoff.

CalifJim · Answer

Just something to think about.

With regard to weather expressions, most grammarians call it a "dummy", that is, a place holder in a language that requires an explicit subject. it is a "non-referring" it. You can see in the following, for example, that it is not the weather that is raining or snowing even though "It's raining" is a description of the weather.

It's raining. *The weather is raining.

It's snowing. *The weather is snowing.

For the following, however, it's less clear.

It's sunny.
It's cloudy.

It's nice.

And yet,

It's nice outside. ?The weather is nice outside. (Where else is the weather? Inside?)

CJ

Liveinjapan · Answer

I've learned several cases of 'dummy it' and this is the most interesting one.
Thanks, CJ.

Khoff · Answer

Of course, CJ is right --

Although "it's raining"describesthe weather, "it" does not refer specifically to the weather.

Really, "It's nice outside" means something like "there is niceness outside."

Liveinjapan · Answer

khoff "it" does not refer specifically to the weather.

Got it! Thanks, Khoff.

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