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To: luvbach1; .45 Long Colt

Re: Ask vs. Aks (Axe)

My understanding is that this pronunciation has been the norm in some English dialects for hundreds of years. Nothing new or recent about it.

Moreover, the “reversal” of consonants here is a common sort of happening not only in English but in many other languages. The phenomenon is known as “metathesis” by linguists.

(Nothing to do with cancer! That would be “metastisis.”)


163 posted on 09/08/2014 6:13:56 PM PDT by Hawthorn
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To: Hawthorn

When I was 20, I worked one summer with a young British girl. She had married a GI and came to America when he was discharged. Very nice, very shy and reserved.

One Monday morning someone asked me if I had done anything exciting with my weekend. Being Southern, I said, “No, just piddled around the house.”

My British friend turned beet red in the face. When she recovered, she explained that in her version of English ‘piddled’ meant something like going wee wee in the corner.

As Churchill said - two peoples; separated by a common language.


164 posted on 09/08/2014 7:33:10 PM PDT by FirstFlaBn
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To: Hawthorn
My understanding is that this pronunciation [axe for ask] has been the norm in some English dialects for hundreds of years. Nothing new or recent about it.

If so, does that make it correct?

165 posted on 09/08/2014 7:49:08 PM PDT by luvbach1 (We are finished. It will just take a while before everyone realizes it.)
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