rumor has it that

I don't understand this grammar
posted by MAS1981 on 10/5 10:02 PM

"More recently, Puss-in-Boots appeared in the movie Shrek 3, and rumor has it that he may soon star in his own film."--From Studio Classroom "rumor has it that..." Why not using "rumor says that..."? In what situation I would use this sentence pattern? Thank you.
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posted by clif on 10/6 12:26 PM

The phrase "rumor has it that" is one of the many colloquial expressions in the English language. Like most colloquial expressions, it makes little or no grammatical sense--that's just the way the expression evolved over hundreds of years of tradition and usage. The phrase "rumor says that"--a seemingly viable expression--is not used in the English language. Tthere is no logical explanation for why it is not used; that's just how it is in the language. The expression means something like: "some people are claiming that," or "incomplete information that we have obtained indicates that," or "unsubstantiated reports indicate that," etc. The emphasis here is on the unsubstantiated nature of the claim, so much so, that one should not take the claim too seriously. The phrase is used in situations where you want to put forth some possibility, but with the emphasis that it is unsubstantiated, and that the hearer should not take it as an established fact. For example: Last night X was seen out on the town with Y. Rumor has it that they are an item (a couple). Yesterday X was seen coming out of the offices of Y. Rumor has it that he is in line for the presidency of the company. Today X was seen coming out of the principal's office, looking distraught. Rumor has it that he is going to be expelled from school. And so forth.

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