not to be insensitive why do most black people pronounce the word ask axes??

Answer 1

I think you mean "aks" not "axes".

At any rate, it is true that in modern Standard English "aks" is now incorrect.

BUT it is NOT the result of an ignorant mistake. Rather, it is simply a dialectal variation within English. In fact, BOTH "aks" and "ask" are found in Old English and in the Middle English writing of Chaucer.

In 17th century England, "aks" was the standard in one of the four major British dialects of the early Amercan settlers.

"From 1642-1675 the Royalists, also called Cavaliers, fled from the south and southwest England with their indentured servants and settled in Virginia when the English Civil War against Charles I began. They brought with them their south England drawl (a drawing out of the vowels); they also brought such phrases as aksed (instead of asked), and ain't (instead of isn't). Royalists later settled the Carolinas as well. Southern English speech laid the foundation for the development of American Tidewater speech, or Coastal Southern English."

http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/vajda/ling201/test3materials/AmericanDialects.htm

Since it was this group that held most of the black slaves, their dialect --including "aks"-- is the source of that pronunciation among certain parts of the black population today.

Answer 2

I think it's just plain lazy English. It's not only confined to the black community. Everyone has some short version of some word. This word might just be more prominently miss pronounced by that particular race. Americans tend to speak lazily.

Answer 3

I'm white but your question offends me; I'm American but ashamed of "my" rascist country. Do you expect all Americans with cultural and social backgrounds different than those of the white ones to speak exactly like the latter? In fact, not all whites speak the same. Why do many people born and raised in New England or Alabama or Texas not speak like their Californian counterparts? Why do Texans say "y'all" even though it may be "incorrect"? Many blacks mispronounce "ask" because, probably, their African descendants' tongues didn't make the "sk" sound, and, like any people with pride of heritage, they didn't bend over to conform to the "norm", especially that of the people who enslaved or, often, killed their progenitors.

You may not be (consciously) a rascist, but only a citizen of an essentially rascist country could have conceived such a question. I recomment that you live outside the U.S. for at least 5 years. It's easier to see its flaws from afar - it has some big ones.

Answer 4

Why do they pronounce "Th" as if it where an "F" (Teeth - teef). Same reason rednecks pronounce "Do you want too?" as "Yawntoo?" That's the way their friends and relatives speak, it's almost like an accent. If they grow up in a house that speaks that way they will too. There's nothing insensitive about that question. If you don't know why a group of people do something, it shouldn't hurt to ask and you shouldn't be labeled "insensitive" for it.

Answer 5

The pronounciation 'axe' for the word 'ask' existed in some forms of Anglo-Saxon English. It might be that this variation of the word survived in this non-standard form and was adopted by a different demographic. It would then have been semi-standardised into African American Vernacular English. Native 'Anglo-Saxon' speakers then dropped this pronounciation. This sort of thing happens all the time when you have speakers of different languages living together and cultures merging.

Answer 6

It actually depends where you grow up, etc. I'm white but most people around here in central Florida say "axe" instead of "ask". We are a very diverse country. Basically... a melting pot. We have many different slangs and accents. Think of George Bush trying to say the word, "nuclear". Or even in old mobster movies with, "fuggedaboudit". It just depends on how you grow up, where you grow up and a bunch of other slangs you put into your daily life. You say puh-tate-toe. They say puh-taught-toe. I say pot-uh-toe.

Answer 7

Um excuse me, do you KNOW most black people? Cuz I'm pretty sure I haven't met you, and I dont say axes. Thats a stereotype, and stereotypes like that are what hurts us. Since you dont know MOST black people please dont judge us on what you heard some people say or what you hear on tv. We are not all ignorant. There are white and asian people who say axes too.

Answer 8

It not just Black people. Proper English is spoken many different ways depending on your Ethnic background. We all have an accent when we speak. Americans make fun of Canadians and say we say boot for about. and think we say eh at the end of our sentences. Just like Americans saying y'all.

Answer 9

at the risk of offending a variety of people, i can only tell you from my observations, that it isn't a particular race that pronounces the word incorrectly. It seems to be more effected by the education level (or lack there of) and the social settings associated with these groups.

Answer 10

Its not just black people, Mr (or Ms.) Insensitive. Its just laziness when speaking. I know that i say "ax" sometimes when i'm at home or with friends, but when i'm speaking at work, it try to be aware of how i'm speaking.