Why do alot of people from Southern States say "axe" instead of "ask"?

Question

I just find this strange, isn't "ask" always spelled the same everywhere? I can't imagine teachers teaching students that this is the right way to say it.

I didn't say "all" people, but I notice it alot on different shows etc. (I'm from Canada, so we supposedly all say "eh" lol)

wow, you got me there Timothy ;-) I guess I shouldn't have axed that question, hmmm.

Answer 1

Actually, the source of this pronounciation was SLAVEHOLDERS... but we'll get to that in a minute.

It is true that in Standard English "aksed" is now incorrect. But most of the assertions about it being the result of ignorance or laziness are themselves ignorant.

This form is simply a dialectal variation within English -- a VERY OLD variation. 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 American 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.

Note that in this case it's not even possible to say that "ask" or "ask" is the "original form". But even if one or the other is, what may have happened is something quite common and widely accepted in language. . . a re-ordering of the sounds of words (often to make them easier to pronounce), that is formally called "metathesis". If you go back to Old English you will discover the words "brid", "thridde" and "hros". But now, through this process, we say "bird", "third" and "horse".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metathesis_(linguistics)
http://sps.k12.mo.us/khs/linguistics/lingtrms.htm#M

Answer 2

I'm from the south (Florida) and my friend used to always make me say it until it sounded like I said "ask" instead of "axe". We are actually saying "ask" we just talk a little faster and a little more relaxed than the northerner states or areas so it jus sounds like we don't pronounce things the same way.

Answer 3

It's African-American dialect, so naturally it has southern roots. Unlike you, I can imagine teachers using the pronunciation, since they often come from the same cultural background, and one must be sensitive in suggesting the use of standard American English when it's not the normal local dialect.

Answer 4

I live in Alabama and have never said 'axe' in the place of 'ask'. And teachers do not teach that......

Answer 5

I have never said "axe" and live in Mississippi.

It is typically used by African Americans living in the south.

Answer 6

It's just slang. The same reason people mispronounce words like filet mignon and say it phoentically. Just fun with words.


now axe me another one.

Answer 7

Because, like you ("a lot" is two words), they are illiterate. Actually though, it is an artifact of African language patterns (true story).

Answer 8

I don't think it has anything to do with geography...just stupidity...I hear these at least once a week:

for all INTENSIVE purposes (all intents and purposes)

SUPOSEBLY

let me talk AT you a second

we need to CONVERSATE on this

Answer 9

It's lazy english. By the way, the word is "supposably" and it is in the dictionary. Look it up! I don't use " supposably" but it is correct English.

Answer 10

it's not used by southerners, it's used by uneducated black people( no offense intended, just stating the fact)