Yesterday I asked two questions:
Why do americans pronounce the word 'herb'..'erb' since when did it have a silent 'h'?!
Why do black people pronounce the word 'ask' as 'arksk'?
For the first one I got some fascinating answers about accents, history and dialects and for the second I mainly got a load of people ranting that this light hearted observation was unfair as I was lumping black people together, using unfair generalisations and generally being racist. That I have not heard all black people speak is obvious. It was purely a turn of phrase and the meaning of it, if a little intelligence is applied, is surely unmissable?
What is it with the obsessive hysteria of these people with chips on their shoulders who can do nothing other than kick up a fuss about something that was meant to be harmless and innocent and rant about how unfair it all is?
2006-12-18 02:02:16 · 29 answers · asked by DS12221 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
it is called ACCENTS and u already know
2006-12-18 02:10:17 · answer #1 · answered by Alex 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have heard the word 'ask' reproduced as 'axe.' It was really (very - really) confusing at first, now i find it irritating.
But then, in the UK there are different dialects where the same word can be said in a variety of different ways - and or they have their own word for something. For example, in Northumberland, a 'stool' was / is a 'craket,' and a 'splinter' was referred to as a 'spelk.'
In Answer to your Question: Often people (me too) will see what they want or expect to see in a question ~ as to where the writer is coming from.
Some will give benefit of the doubt and question their selves and what they have read. Others will not and will instead, do like a lot of others do (and who they rail against) and use what's written as a convenient hook upon which to hang and vent their spleen.
Ok, that's me tuppence wurth, so naw I'll be ganen awa.
Sash.
2006-12-18 11:15:15 · answer #2 · answered by sashtou 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I read your questions and the answers and I agree with you. To be honest, I think people enjoy whipping themselves up into a fury.
Last night, there was a 'troll' on here called 'whitepower' going on about white superiority. He got 60 replies, all of them just swearing at the guy and saying he was racist (well, durr, state the obvious why don't you?) I posted an answer telling everyone to shut up and stop feeding the troll and got 17 thumbs down. Some people on here and in society generally, are divs.
2006-12-18 10:09:59 · answer #3 · answered by Katya-Zelen 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well any time you put "black people" in a question you will be called racist. Anyone with half a brain could tell that you weren't meaning to offend, just asking a question. Certainly if I were to ask Why do all Grandmothers pinch cheeks?, there certainly be a big issue of categoring all grandma's. They just like to start things. You are right they obviously do have an attitute problem and just like to rant and rave about how unfair whites are to them.
2006-12-18 10:44:25 · answer #4 · answered by Michelle 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
"Herb" is of French origin and the H isn't pronounced. Only in England do they pronounce the H (much like instead of saying "mambo" as "mahm-bow" they say "ma'am-bo") Technically speaking, the proper pronunciation does not include pronouncing the H. We don't use the "anglicized" pronunciation, rather the French.
What the problem was with the second question was how it was asked. I would have said it " Why do many black people in America pronounce the word "ask" as "ax?" Race is an extremely sensitive issue in the US, and if you're asking a question regarding race aimed at an American audience, you have to choose your words VERY carefully.
2006-12-18 10:05:58 · answer #5 · answered by Danagasta 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋
some people are just idiots i feel that for a person to be racist they must mean to cause offence or harm in what they were saying. or it bieng used in a derogatory manner. which you were clearly not. and as for your question i reckon its got something to do with regional dialects or children picking up on the way there parents speak eg west indian "patwa" dont know how you spell it but that how it sounds
2006-12-18 10:16:59 · answer #6 · answered by grum 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why? Because in case you haven't notice there is a proliferation of racist morons on this website that could take a question like your's, seemingly 'innocent' and turn it into another of their racist rants. What you essentially do with questions like that is fan the flames. And besides...it's obvious you used generalizations with your questions as well...and yes, that would pretty much make you racist.
2006-12-18 10:16:04 · answer #7 · answered by Sunidaze 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Perhaps you should have asked the question in a different way. Example: In Ebonics, the word "ask" is pronounced "aks". Is there a specific reason for this occurrence?
Some people choose to be offended by such questions as you asked, so it may not help to ask it in a different way. Still it might work. *smiles*
2006-12-18 10:08:20 · answer #8 · answered by dxle 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
You said it..."chip on their shoulders". I know so many people that walk around on pins and needles because of political correctness. I for one don't play that game. I call it how I see it. People who "beeitch" all the time about some so-called injustice or offense are normally the ones who keep people divided and stereotypical mindsets alive. Its true what you said..."obsessive hysteria". Great word choice!
2006-12-18 10:25:23 · answer #9 · answered by Goober W 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like you are ranting?
You are correct, but have you considered that we speak American, not English? Just kidding. Our butchery of the English language bothers me as well, but I don't get my bowels in an uproar over something for which I have no control.
I will preface this by saying I am an American - that being said, you have to listen to an Englishman if you want to hear what English is supposed to sound like.
2006-12-18 10:16:15 · answer #10 · answered by Who Am I 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
well i don't say ask like that, so i can see why some people got mad. Well, just consider that some blacks don't have accents like they do on Television or where ever you heard someone say "arsk." Accents are determined by where a person lives.
our language takes word from many other places http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_pronunciation_differences#Single_differences
2006-12-18 10:08:00 · answer #11 · answered by ipodlady231 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋