Nightly "What is the origin of that phrase?" Axe me anything!

[caledesi]

Well tonight folks, it isn't really a phrase, but rather why the pronunication of the word "ask" is sometimes pronounced "axe?"

Example: So, I axed him what he was going to do tonight.


BTW, you will be quite surprised by the explanation.

[pinkpops]

1. Rutabaga Tales by carl sandburg

Has a character "Ax me no questions"

[phaseolus]

2. I dunno.

I'd guess it's some rural South thing ... which would make it some sort of ancient Scots-Irish Gaelic thing...??

[caledesi]

3. No. Will give a hint in 20 minutes or so. It's very interesting, so

stay tuned.

[caledesi]

4. Hint: The "axe" pronunciation originated in England. So how did

it come here and why do a lot of Afro-Americans used this pronunciation. THIS IS A BIG HINT - Afro-American!

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. I don't know, but I'm curious!

And people still, today, say "Aks" instead of "ask". Very unfortunate, since it labels them (fairly or unfairly, take your pick) as less than properly intelligent.

[caledesi]

6. That is why you will be quite surprised by the explanation!

I will post explanation at 9PM EST if no one has answered correctly.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. Wel, I'm on the edge of my seat awaiting!

All I can figure, and I can't remember the technical term, is that it's a simple reversal of the "K" and "S" phonemes, which consonant switching has often occurred throughout history, changing words irrevocably for all time.

[foo_bar]

13. metathesis

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Yeah, that's what I wanted

All I could think of was metasthesis or something similar, and I kew that whatever "sound" I was coming up with wasn't correct...

[Robb]

7. Ooooo....

This one's got me a-wonderin'.... do tell!

[greatauntoftriplets]

8. It is from Olde English or Middle English?

[caledesi]

10. This is a difficult one. Let me give you the explanation.

In Northern England there were "elites" who pronounced the word "ask" as "axe." When they emigrated to the US in the South, they acquired black slaves. These slaves, learning English used the SAME pronunciation "axe" for "ask."

Cool, huh? Gives a whole new meaning as to why Afro-Americans sometimes use the pronunciation "axe" instead of "ask." Not a perjorative at all.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Interesting! Any sources on that?

I'd like to see some links, and more indepth discussion.

Thanks!

[foo_bar]

12. here ya go

http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/7/7-1048.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Wow! Totally cool!

Thanks for the post! I love the ending of it:

I'd like to close this discussion with what seems to be an
apropos maxim from Christ's sermon on the Mount in Miles Coverdale's
Bible, 1535 (supplied to me by Alain Thomas): "Axe and it shal be
giuen you."

[caledesi]

17. Thank you hyg....I knew someone would come up with the real scoop.

[Stuckinthebush]

16. Similar to the TH sound for Z

in some Spanish dialects (I think). Such as in the golfer Jose Maria Olazabal. His last name is pronounced Olathabal with a sort of a lisp where the Z should be.

I remember watching a show that discussed this pronunciation as being rooted in an old Spanish king's lisp. All of his nobility didn't want to offend him, so they started lisping the Z as well. This passed down to their children, etc.

[caledesi]

18. Oh, now that is interesting. SITB.

I think the most salient factor here is that "axe" is NOT a perorgative term.