# Let me axe you something.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 14, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283 "2001-11-14T06:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Chickenhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chickenhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenhead)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/101 "2001-11-16T14:49:12Z")
If you want to blame someone for screwing up the English language, then you had better start with Chaucer, and he’s a rather difficult target to bring down, if you know what I’m screamin’. “Ax” and “axe” for “ask” appear throughout the Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde. But I know what you mean. One of my English professors (educated at Hahvahd, no less) has examples, which he considers witty, about the number of participles that one can tack on the end of a sentence while having the sentence remain perfectly intelligible to a fluent speaker of English. For example, a kid at bedtime: Dad, why’d you bring that book you already read to me out of up for? ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/102 "2001-11-16T16:00:30Z")
First, Kinsey, I went to the College of Charleston in lovely, sunny Charleston SC. So, CoC is where I went to college at, hunnybunchkins 🙂 (whisper) Ahem…Disciple of Alf…may I see you in the corner for just a moment? Over here… (/end whisper) Not to nitpick, feel free to correct one of my posts as well, but I just CANT LET IT GO!!! 🙂 The use of the word “irregardless” is one of the top instigators of linguistic rage. I mean it’s right up there with “nucular” as far as I’m concerned. Please forever PURGE that odious not-even-a-word from your vocab, replace it with a nice huggable “regardless”, go forth, and sin no more. EXORCIIIIIIIIISE THE DEMONS!!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/103 "2001-11-16T19:33:46Z")
I believe _irregardless_ is a real variant, if not _considered_—as the Brits might say—common or vulgar. At any rate, the one that gets to me the most is using “says” in the past tense. “So then Mary says, ‘What, are you kiddin me?’ And I says, 'No way, Mary, sthe God’s honest truth!” GAH! Also note the “s’the” there; “it is the” also receives a fair amount of abuse. I think “sthe” should just become its own word, though I’m not sure it would calm me any. I, too, dislike “go” variants for “say” variants. I also get upset about “like” for “say” variants as well: can’t even get tense in with “like”! **e.g** — “…And then Mary was like, ‘Whatever!’” as a translation for both, “…And then Mary said, ‘Whatever!’” and “…And then Mary says, ‘Whatever!’” Argh… also the use of present “says” for “will say.” I just hate the words people substitute for the action of speech, basically. I think that sums it up. **Kinsey** , as far as I’ve enver known, one uses “me” as objects (usually of propositions) and “I” for subjects. It happened because of me. I made it happen. See? And then you have “myself” which is “simply” a pronoun. (I say simply because the word has so many darned uses it isn’t worth getting into). You can usually replace “myself” with “I” but “me” isn’t the same thing. If you go to Merriam Webster you’ll see that they really all sort of blend together with no simple rules. Damn it! The French we ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/104 "2001-11-16T19:37:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > **Kinsey** , as far as I’ve enver known, one uses “me” as objects (usually of propositions) and “I” for subjects. That should be prepositions, and also verbs. I did it to _me_, he heard _me_. It is the object sense that makes the biggest distinction, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Disciple\_of\_Alf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Disciple\_of\_Alf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disciple_of_Alf)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/105 "2001-11-17T04:54:26Z")
Hey scredle, I was just kidding. I know how painful it can be to hear that “word” used over and over again. My theology teacher last year used it all the time, probably at least twice per class. Come to think of it, lots of my teachers didn’t speak very good English. Well, at least not as good as I. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/106 "2001-11-17T06:22:22Z")
> [@](#): > > **Kinsey** , as far as I’ve enver known, one uses “me” as objects (usually of propositions) and “I” for subjects. > > It happened because of me. > I made it happen. > > See? > > And then you have “myself” which is “simply” a pronoun. (I say simply because the word has so many darned uses it isn’t worth getting into). You can usually replace “myself” with “I” but “me” isn’t the same thing. If you go to Merriam Webster you’ll see that they really all sort of blend together with no simple rules. Damn it! The French we ain’t. \*\* Actually, the rules are quite simple. You can never use “I” and “myself” interchangably, for reasons stated below. “I” is the first-person singular subject pronoun. “Me” is the first-person singular object pronoun. “Myself” is the first-person singular reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of the clause in which they occur. “Myself” should be used only when “I” is used in the same clause. _I_ gave him the money _myself_. _I_ have quite a collection of Pokemon cards _myself_. _I_, _myself_, have occasionally enjoyed a bit of port. but _I_ hit him, and he hit _me_ back. In this case, we use “me” the second time because it is in a different clause than “I”. ---
**Author:** ![naughty\_wicked\_zoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@naughty\_wicked\_zoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naughty_wicked_zoot)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/107 "2001-11-17T22:12:00Z")
" a whole nother". AAARRRGGGHHH!!! this makes me insane. i want to rend my garment and gnash my teeth when somebody says this. dumbass-“that’s a whole nother ball of yarn” me-“really? are you sure it’s not a half nother ball of yarn?” it’s “another whole”!!! please, please, stop it! hearing this causes me physical pain! ---
**Author:** ![TN\_hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TN\_hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TN_hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/108 "2001-11-17T22:32:43Z")
**"Irregardless"** , IMHO, is a confusion of the words “irrespective” and “regardless.” It is called _Nonstandard_ by my Webster’s Dictionary. Whatever it is, it literally translates as the _opposite_ of “regardless,” so it’s misused no matter how you look at it. It’s similar to the phrase “I could care less,” by which people mean “I _couldn’t_ care less.” * * * Pea’s TN\*hippie ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/109 "2001-11-17T22:53:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > Actually, the rules are quite simple. You can never use “I” and “myself” interchangably, for reasons stated below. > > “I” is the first-person singular subject pronoun. > “Me” is the first-person singular object pronoun. > “Myself” is the first-person singular reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of the clause in which they occur. From [Merriam Webster](http://www.m-w.com): > [@](#): > > Myself is often used where I or me might be expected: as subject \ \, after as, than, or like \ \ \, and as object \ \. ---
**Author:** ![TN\_hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TN\_hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TN_hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/110 "2001-11-17T23:11:03Z")
Can I, myself, know my self by me alone? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/111 "2001-11-18T00:14:08Z")
The point is - did you understand what they were saying? If yes, then what’s the difference? If no, then say “What?” or “I don’t get it.” Language changes so quickly that what is now slang may soon be common usage. Think someone is an idiot for what they say, not how they say it. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/112 "2001-11-18T00:30:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chickenhead \* > \*\*Dad, why’d you bring that book you already read to me out of up for? \*\* Hey, now that’s something up with which I will not put! But I have plenty of examples of interesting takes on the English language. One co-worker uses “whenever” to mean when. “Whenever I was in Florida last summer, I went to Disneyworld.” “Whenever I bought this dress, I bought shoes to match.” I also have a friend who uses “desire” to mean everything from want to wish to request. “I desire you call me back later.” “I desire we order a pizza.” Of course I speak with what has been described as a Northern California accent. There are no “b’s” in “prolly”, and only one “r” in foward. I remember when I first came on this board there was a thread which mentioned the NorCal accent and quoted a ditty from Berkeley: Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry Oh, they had to carry Harry to the shore Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry 'Cause Harry couldn’t carry anymore There was some amusement at the idea that to a Northern Californian, this actually rhymed. I had to sing it dozens of times before I grasped why in most of the country it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/113 "2001-11-18T01:20:37Z")
Western PA also uses “you’uns”, or “yinz,” as they spell it in Pittsburgh. And the missing “to be” is all over the place here. “The lawn needs mowed”. Doesn’t really bother me, though. My parents pronounce “wash” as “woosh” all the time, which **does** irritate me. “Wooshington”, “woosh the car”…Arrrgh! jayjay ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/114 "2001-11-18T01:22:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > \*\*I remember when I first came on this board there was a thread which mentioned the NorCal accent and quoted a ditty from Berkeley: > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the shore > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > 'Cause Harry couldn’t carry anymore > > There was some amusement at the idea that to a Northern Californian, this actually rhymed. I had to sing it dozens of times before I grasped why in most of the country it doesn’t. \*\* I don’t get it…it rhymes for me and I’ve lived in West-central PA for almost my whole life… jayjay ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/115 "2001-11-18T01:55:31Z")
My mother-in-law worshes the dishes. She used to live in Worshington, where my sister-in-law got lost because without the familiar mountains around her she became “disorientated”. My mother thinks you should always use “she and I” and doesn’t understand that when the phrase is the object it becoms “her and me”. Even though I explained it to her at least once a year for over a decade. I’ve quit trying to explain it to her. These are things up with which I can put (gramatically correct but confusing), but when my wife tells me she could **Varely** read the road signs because it was so dark, I have to correct her. I hate it when people say they have two choices. No. A choice is the act of choosing. You have one choice to make between two options. My personal favorite piece of bad grammer is “Don’t make no never-mind to me” when I have no preference for either option. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/116 "2001-11-18T02:18:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Number Six \* > > Actually, the rules are quite simple. You can never use “I” and “myself” interchangably, for reasons stated below. > > > > “I” is the first-person singular subject pronoun. > > “Me” is the first-person singular object pronoun. > > “Myself” is the first-person singular reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of the clause in which they occur. > > From [Merriam Webster](http://www.m-w.com): > > > [@](#): > > > > Myself is often used where I or me might be expected: as subject \ \, after as, than, or like \ \ \, and as object \ \. > > \*\* People use it that way, sure. It’s still poor usage. From [dictonary.com](http://dictonary.com): > [@](#): > > Usage Note: The -self pronouns, such as myself, yourselves, and herself, are sometimes used as emphatic substitutes for personal pronouns, as in Like yourself, I have no apologies to make. The practice is particularly common in compound phrases: Ms. Evans or yourself will have to pick them up at the airport. Although these usages have been common in the writing of reputable authors for several centuries, they may sound overwrought. A large majority of the Usage Panel disapproves of the use of -self pronouns when they do not refer to the subject of the sentence. Seventy-three percent reject the sentence He was an enthusiastic fisherman like myself. Sixty-seven percent object to The letters were written entirely by myself. The Panel is even less tolerant of compound usages. Eighty-eight percent find this sentence unacceptable: The boss asked John and myself to give a brief presentation. Using “myself” in any way other than to refer to the subject of the clause is improper usage. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/117 "2001-11-18T02:21:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > \*\*Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the shore > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > 'Cause Harry couldn’t carry anymore > > There was some amusement at the idea that to a Northern Californian, this actually rhymed. I had to sing it dozens of times before I grasped why in most of the country it doesn’t. \*\* I don’t get this one, either. What doesn’t rhyme? **Harry, carry** and **ferry** all rhyme. **Shore** and **anymore** rhyme. Baltimorean checking in, where we **worsh** the dishes in the **zink** with **wooter**. Yeah, the **zink**. That’s where **you’s worsh** the dishes **at**. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/118 "2001-11-18T02:49:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the shore > > Oh, they had to carry Harry to the ferry > > 'Cause Harry couldn’t carry anymore > > > > There was some amusement at the idea that to a Northern Californian, this actually rhymed. I had to sing it dozens of times before I grasped why in most of the country it doesn’t. > > I don’t get this one, either. > What doesn’t rhyme? > Harry, carry and ferry all rhyme. > Shore and anymore rhyme.\*\* I need a linguist to explain – especially because Harry, carry, and ferry all rhyme to me. But for a lot of people, Harry and carry have a short “a” sound like in cat, while ferry has a short “e” sound, like in bed. Think about marry and merry. Do they sound alike? Can you make them sound different by pronouncing marry with an “a” sound and merry with an “e” sound? That’s the sound difference that makes Harry and ferry not rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/119 "2001-11-18T03:10:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > \*\*I need a linguist to explain – especially because Harry, carry, and ferry all rhyme to me. But for a lot of people, Harry and carry have a short “a” sound like in cat, while ferry has a short “e” sound, like in bed. > > Think about marry and merry. Do they sound alike? Can you make them sound different by pronouncing marry with an “a” sound and merry with an “e” sound? That’s the sound difference that makes Harry and ferry not rhyme. \*\* Thanks, SpoilerVirgin. 😛 Now my husband thinks I am totally nuts…sitting here in front of the computer mumbling, “Harry, carry, Harry, carry, with an ‘a’ like cat…ferry, ferry, ferry, with an ‘e’ like bed…marry, merry, marry, merry…merry? marry? merry?” ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283/120 "2001-11-18T05:18:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\*Thanks, SpoilerVirgin. 😛 Now my husband thinks I am totally nuts…sitting here in front of the computer mumbling, “Harry, carry, Harry, carry, with an ‘a’ like cat…ferry, ferry, ferry, with an ‘e’ like bed…marry, merry, marry, merry…merry? marry? merry?” \*\* Like I said in my first post, I spent hours singing the stupid song before I started to understand what the problem was. If I’m not careful, it will take me _another_ two days to get it out of my head again. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-me-axe-you-something/93283.md?page=7)