Are there changes in the anatomy of tongue and throat that cause this and if so list your sources. How do people like Oprah and Samuel l Jackson learn caucasian speach sounds?
2006-10-21 15:48:02 · 11 answers · asked by Sisterbelle 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
As others have remarked, there is nothing ethnic, much less anatomical about this pronunciation.. Nor is it 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.
More signficantly, for this question --iIn 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.
2006-10-21 20:12:21 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What makes you think proper English is specifically Caucasian? You're way off base.
And again you err as do many. African Americans in its proper sense would be anyone that is a native of Africa becoming a citizen of the United States or of the Americas. Black people born here in the US of A are "AMERICANS", who have an African heritage and I will never cave into that politically correct jive ever. Its reverse racism in my book.
I just wish people would get with the program to unite instead of looking for more devices to keep us all separate and in some cases at each other's throats.
2006-10-21 23:01:25 · answer #2 · answered by Victor ious 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The reason people say "axe" instead of "ask" is because that is how they were tought to say it as a child. Either that their speach evolved into such because of the location they lived in and the people they hang around. Just like humans, speach evolves as well.
2006-10-21 23:28:38 · answer #3 · answered by www.allamericanwarehouse.com 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
... its not only them. It's just little accents we all have. I'm Dominican and didn't realize that i also say "Axe" instead of ask until i read this question and pronounced it my self. Good observation lol. But its not Caucasian speach .. its english as mentioned above
2006-10-21 22:52:12 · answer #4 · answered by La Princesa 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My father is caucasian and says axe instead of ask. I'ts not a black thing.
2006-10-21 22:50:49 · answer #5 · answered by revieskid 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not an ethnic thing. I think it is part of a local speech pattern. Perhaps axe is easier to say than ask.
2006-10-22 02:09:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not caucasian speech sounds, it is proper English.
2006-10-21 22:49:55 · answer #7 · answered by catzrme 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not only black people..all people of all races do it just like we all talk differently and have our own way of speaking
2006-10-21 23:24:50 · answer #8 · answered by Leslie V 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cuz they think it sounds cool, but it's actually really freakin' annoying
2006-10-21 22:55:43 · answer #9 · answered by ♥ His Truly 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Actually where and how you were brought up. Whites do to. SLANG & SCHOOLS & PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
2006-10-21 22:56:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋