# Was it originally "ask" or "aks"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054 "2007-04-14T03:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/1 "2007-04-14T03:11:51Z")
Posted in GQ because I am hoping for an actual cite: The word ‘ask’, to me, has always been pronounced ‘ask’. It was the urban subculture that has popularized the blatant mispronunciation to ‘aks’. However, when debating this with my coworkers today, a few swore up and down that originally (they claim hundreds of years ago) the word was pronounced ‘aks’, and it is only in more recent times that we have said ‘ask’. This makes absolutely no sense to me, and I demanded a cite. They couldn’t come up with one, but then again I couldn’t find one that proved my point. So dopers, give me a hand. What’s the original pronunciation, and can you prove it? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/2 "2007-04-14T03:19:14Z")
[QUOTE=Captain\_C] Posted in GQ because I am hoping for an actual cite: The word ‘ask’, to me, has always been pronounced ‘ask’. It was the urban subculture that has popularized the blatant mispronunciation to ‘aks’. However, when debating this with my coworkers today, a few swore up and down that originally (they claim hundreds of years ago) the word was pronounced ‘aks’, and it is only in more recent times that we have said ‘ask’. This makes absolutely no sense to me, and I demanded a cite. They couldn’t come up with one, but then again I couldn’t find one that proved my point. So dopers, give me a hand. What’s the original pronunciation, and can you prove it? [/QUOTE] When wanting to know older forms of a word (its etymology), there is this wonderful compendium of information about words. It’s called a dictionary. 😉 [Merriam-Webster Online: Ask](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/ask) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/3 "2007-04-14T03:26:37Z")
I don’t think this one is that clear-cut. OED > [@](#): > > II. To call upon any one for information, or an answer; to question, inquire. > > ``` > * trans. With the thing asked as object: > > ``` > > To call for an answer to (a question or inquiry). > > ``` > 2. without mention of the person asked: a. with the thing asked as an object sentence or clause (in indirect, or, less commonly, direct oration). > > ``` > > c1000 Ags. Ps. xiv. [2] Ic ahsie, Hwa ær earda? a1038 Charter of Eanwene in Cod. Dipl. IV. 54 á ácsode e bis~ceop hwá sceólde andswerian for his módor. c1200 ORMIN Te sholldenn..asskenn what he wære. a1300 Cursor M. 7887 He askes, quat was at leuedi? c1305 St. Crist. 149 in E.E.P. (1862) 63 is gode man..eschte what hi wolde. c1386 CHAUCER Wife’s Prol. 21, I axe, why the fyfte man Was nought housbond to the Samaritan? c1420 Avow. Arth. xxiv, Gauan asshes, ‘Is hit soe?’ 1455 E. CLERE in Four C. Eng. Lett. 5 He askid what the Princes name was. 1549 COVERDALE Erasm. Par. Rom. Prol., He axeth not whether good workes are to be done or not. 1597 SHAKES. 2 Hen. IV, III. ii. 71 May I aske, how my Lady his Wife doth? 1711 STEELE Spect. No. 454 6 To ask what I wanted. Mod. Ask who it is. He asks if you are ready. I merely ask, ‘Is it true?’ > b. with the question expressed by a n. or pronoun: To ask a question, this, something. to ask (a horse) the question: to call upon him for a special effort. > > c1320 R. BRUNNE Medit. 430 Some axen questyons to do hym wrong. 1387 TREVISA Higden (1865) I. 67 re questiouns bee i-axed. 1803 PEGGE Anecd. Eng. Lang. 114 A true born Londoner, Sir, of either sex, always axes question, axes pardon, and at quadrille axes leave. 1850 TENNYSON In Mem. xiv, And ask a thousand things of home. 1894 H. CUSTANCE Riding Recoll. vi. 88 Until the last ten strides, when I really asked ‘King Lud’ the question. > c. with the question indicated by its subject or object: To ask the way, the price, a name, an age, etc. > > 1382 WYCLIF Gen. xxxii. 29 Wherto askist [v.r. axist] thou my name? c1420 Chron. Vilod. 689 Ryse up..and e way asshe, To Wyltone. 1502 ARNOLD Chron. (1811) 208 To answere him that axith the lawe of the Lorde. 1549 LATIMER 7 Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 27 The other axed ye price, he sayed: xx. nobles. 1597 SHAKES. 2 Hen. IV, I. i. 39 He ask’d the way to Chester. 1842 TENNYSON Dream Fair Women 93 Ask thou not my name. > 3. with the person asked introduced by a preposition: a. at a person. Obs. exc. dial. > > 1297 R. GLOUC. 16 Heo aschede at Corineus, how heo so hardi were. c1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 924 Als Abraham..hit at himself asked. 1535 COVERDALE Ecclus. xxi. 17 It is axed at the mouth of the wyse. 1753 Stewart’s Trial 197 To ask any question at Allan Breck about the murder, which he now related to them. 1843 A. BETHUNE Scot. Peasant’s Fireside 47 ‘Why do you ask that question at me?’ > b. to a person. (Cf. Fr. demander à.) Obs. > > c1314 Guy Warw. 27 Than axed anon Sir Gii To the barouns that oned him bi. 1483 CAXTON G. de la Tour Dvijb, Asking to her why she had trespaced his commaundments. 1663 GERBIER Counsel 13 Asking to passengers what weather it was without doores. > c. of a person. > > 1366 MANDEVILLE v. 61, I asked of the monkes..how this be~felle. c1380 Sir Ferumb. 1124 e Amyral of hym axeth..wat tydynge ay had y-brot. c1450 Merlin ii. 36 Axe of hem whi that that toure fill. 1562 TURNER Herbal II. 51a, The sherif axed diligently of them..what they had done. 1667 MILTON P.L. II. 957 [One] of whom to ask Which way the neerest coast of darkness lyes. c1735 POPE Hor. Epist. II. ii. 211, I ask these sober questions of my heart. Mod. A farmer of whom I asked the way. . Work your way through that, and tell me that it was always “ask.” ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/4 "2007-04-14T03:27:04Z")
I’m not certain if ‘ask’ or ‘aks’ came first, but the ‘aks’ pronunciation can easily explained as a simplification of a difficult consonant cluster through metathesis. That is to say, the ‘ks’ consonant cluster is difficult to pronounce (most languages find this one hard) and in order to make it easier the two sounds are transposed (technical term: metathesis\*). Sound changes to make pronunciation easier are pretty common in every language. ‘Aks’ just happens to not be the Standard English pronunciation of today, though it might have been in the past. \*The stress is on the second syllable, i.e. met **a** thesis, in case you were wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/5 "2007-04-14T03:49:58Z")
Both verbs, _acsian_ and _ascian_, are attested in Old English, and it’s not clear which form is historically primary. As **sjc** said, the change, in either direction, is pretty easy to motivate. Modern “aks” pronunciations have historical precedent, but they are innovations rather than direct continuations. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/6 "2007-04-14T05:29:26Z")
The really _really_ earliest form has _s_ first, with the _k_ originating as a suffix: Old English _āscian, ācsian_ to ask, seek, from Germanic \*_aiskōn_ from Proto-Indo-European \*_ais-sk_, suffixed form of [\ ***ais-**](http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE6.html) to wish, desire. Well, I hope that settles it. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/7 "2007-04-14T08:14:15Z")
[QUOTE=Johanna] The really _really_ earliest form has _s_ first, with the _k_ originating as a suffix: Old English _āscian, ācsian_ to ask, seek, from Germanic \*_aiskōn_ from Proto-Indo-European \*_ais-sk_, suffixed form of [\ ***ais-**](http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE6.html) to wish, desire. Well, I hope that settles it. [/QUOTE] Neat, that means ask shares a root with the Norwegian for wish (both verb and noun), only we’ve snuck an ‘n’ in there: ønske. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/8 "2007-04-14T11:49:17Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] I don’t think this one is that clear-cut. OED . Work your way through that, and tell me that it was always “ask.” [/QUOTE] Well, given that throughout that entire time period, there were those using the form asc- or ask- (or other similar derivatives, such as esche-), and given that the only thing we know is that some others spelled it axe-, this tells us nothing about its pronounciation. It is quite possible it was spelled axe- and pronounced ask-. Perhaps the axe- was used much the same way it is currently, that is as a form limited to certain areas and or social status? And you will note you are using the type of resource I suggested to the OP. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/9 "2007-08-02T19:24:10Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Well, given that throughout that entire time period, there were those using the form asc- or ask- (or other similar derivatives, such as esche-), and given that the only thing we know is that some others spelled it axe-, this tells us nothing about its pronounciation. It is quite possible it was spelled axe- and pronounced ask-. [/QUOTE] The two earliest forms given in the OED cite were c1000 “Ic ahsie” and a1038 “á ácsode”, so the oldest known Old English forms were definitely close to /aks/ than to /ask/. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/10 "2007-08-02T19:46:45Z")
The word “ask” is also prounounced “aks” in the[Gullah](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah_language) language. It’s very possible, and I’m not a linguist so I can only speculate, that among the speakers of English, at least in the U.S. there may have been two divergent evolutions of language lending to the “aks” pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/11 "2007-08-02T20:12:14Z")
This might be completely irrelevant to the OP but in John McCormack’s 1930 recording of “The Garden Where the Praties Grow” he uses the pronunciation “aks”. You can hear it here: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6kDqE\_YhQs&mode=related&search=](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6kDqE_YhQs&mode=related&search=) ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/12 "2007-08-02T21:05:04Z")
[QUOTE=sjc] I’m not certain if ‘ask’ or ‘aks’ came first, but the ‘aks’ pronunciation can easily explained as a simplification of a difficult consonant cluster through metathesis. \*_That is to say, the ‘ks’ consonant cluster is difficult to pronounce \*\* (most languages find this one hard) and in order to make it easier the two sounds are transposed (technical term: metathesis_). Sound changes to make pronunciation easier are pretty common in every language. ‘Aks’ just happens to not be the Standard English pronunciation of today, though it might have been in the past. \*The stress is on the second syllable, i.e. met **a** thesis, in case you were wondering. [/QUOTE] I think you mean it the other way around- the ‘sk’ conconant cluster is difficult to pronounce. That’s why ‘ask’ is mispronounced as ‘aks’, because ‘ask’ is (supposedly) too difficult. Although, I think the middle aged women I work with from Staten Island pronounce it that way just because they’re lazy and ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/13 "2007-08-02T21:52:02Z")
It doesn’t directly address the question, but “run” has an interesting history with metathesis followed by a reversing metathesis. In proto-Germanic the form was rVn (\*rinnan or something similar), in Old English it was Vrn (eornan or something similar) and in Modern English back to rVn (run). Metathesis is common in English (and Frisian), especially in words with r near the beginning. That’s why we have “horse” instead of “hross,” for example. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/14 "2007-08-02T21:54:53Z")
[QUOTE=McNew] I think you mean it the other way around- the ‘sk’ conconant cluster is difficult to pronounce. That’s why ‘ask’ is mispronounced as ‘aks’, because ‘ask’ is (supposedly) too difficult. Although, I think the middle aged women I work with from Staten Island pronounce it that way just because they’re lazy and ignorant. [/QUOTE] In what way is it lazy? Honestly? Because in all my life, being used to the pronunciation “ask”, I have never, in a tired moment of exhaustion, come anywhere near to saying “aks”… because that’s not what I’m used to. For the most part, people pronounce words the way they do because that’s what they’re used to; it’s what they grew up hearing around them. When those pronunciations differ from others, it’s not laziness, it’s just being used to different things. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/15 "2007-08-03T05:49:56Z")
> [@](#): > > **sjc** : ‘Aks’ just happens to not be the Standard English pronunciation of today, though it might have been in the past. > [@](#): > > **McNew** : I think you mean it the other way around- the ‘sk’ conconant cluster is difficult to pronounce. That’s why ‘ask’ is mispronounced as ‘aks’, because ‘ask’ is (supposedly) too difficult. Dialects are not considered mispronunciations or even non-standard. Different dialects have a higher status at some times than at others. In Revolutionary times, Boston accents were looked upon with more favor than in the 1960s when President Kennedy’s pronunciation of _Cuba_ sounded a little strange to the rest of the country. The general dialect of “yeuman beings” from NYC has always been popular, but now the Mid-Western and Western dialects are as popular because of broadcast schools and the entertainment industry. But the dialects of people who live in other parts of the country are just as valid even though they don’t have the status with the general population (which is an _opinion_ ) of other dialects. Warning: Don’t go to Pennsylvania and tell people that they are saying things wrong! You can’t move a mile without changing dialects there! [Dialects of English](http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/dialectsofenglish.html) If you scroll to the lower portion of this cite, you will find some interesting observations on American dialects and a map of dialects in the USA. There are also observations of English dialects in other countries too. Fascinating cite if you are interested in such things. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/16 "2007-08-03T14:46:51Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] In what way is it lazy? Honestly? Because in all my life, being used to the pronunciation “ask”, I have never, in a tired moment of exhaustion, come anywhere near to saying “aks”… because that’s not what I’m used to. [/QUOTE] In the way that they can’t be bothered to make the effort to pronounce it correctly. That doesn’t mean that when you’re exhausted you begin to mispronounce words that are hard to say. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/17 "2007-08-03T17:23:47Z")
[QUOTE=McNew] In the way that they can’t be bothered to make the effort to pronounce it correctly. That doesn’t mean that when you’re exhausted you begin to mispronounce words that are hard to say. [/QUOTE] “Lazy” and “Ignorant” are the standard insults to throw at people who use non-standard pronunciation. But why should they be bothered to throw off the way of speaking they were raised with for the standard pronunciation? Honest question. Most people end up conforming for socio-economic reasons. The mainstream herd has incorrect ideas about how languages work and the relationship of someone’s speech patterns to their worth as a person, so you either learn to talk like the rest of the country or you get discriminated against. Ask a Southerner. (I actually speak pretty standard American English myself, but I find the impenetrable ignorance surrounding dialects astounding.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/18 "2007-08-03T18:11:22Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Drake] “Lazy” and “Ignorant” are the standard insults to throw at people who use non-standard pronunciation. But why should they be bothered to throw off the way of speaking they were raised with for the standard pronunciation? Honest question. Most people end up conforming for socio-economic reasons. The mainstream herd has incorrect ideas about how languages work and the relationship of someone’s speech patterns to their worth as a person, so you either learn to talk like the rest of the country or you get discriminated against. Ask a Southerner. (I actually speak pretty standard American English myself, but I find the impenetrable ignorance surrounding dialects astounding.) [/QUOTE] I like how you’ve said this. It provokes the side question of how do people outside a region (and I speak as a Southerner) learn to dismiss the “ignorant and backward” types in that region? If there’s a better reason than the way these people are portrayed in movies, on TV and such, I’d like to know what it is. I propose that there are ignorant, backward, unlettered and such types in every region in the country. And I likewise propose that each region has its opposites to those characteristics. But if you’ve never done any traveling and interacting outside your own area, how can you judge the people in other areas? By buying into the stereotypes in the media. That’s some of the ignorance that this Message Board might be trying to fight. And it really gets old to be branded as ignorant simply because of the region of the country where you live. That is Capital I Ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/19 "2007-08-03T19:01:53Z")
[QUOTE=naita] Neat, that means ask shares a root with the Norwegian for wish (both verb and noun), only we’ve snuck an ‘n’ in there: ønske. [/QUOTE] It also shares one with Icelandic, and the original root is more than likely Old Norse. (If you look at Old English writings-- for example, Beowulf, it looks an awful lot like Old Norse, IMO.) The Icelandic word for “wish” is _osk_, which is only slightly different than the Norwegian word. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054/20 "2007-08-03T19:30:35Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Drake] “Lazy” and “Ignorant” are the standard insults to throw at people who use non-standard pronunciation. [/QUOTE] Yeah, and “ignorant” is a particularly silly one in this context; those middle-aged Staten Island women that **McNew** works with, what does he think their pronunciation shows them to be ignorant of? Surely he doesn’t believe the preposterous notion that they are ignorant of the standard pronunciation of “ask”, ignorant of the fact that their own pronunciation differs from it, so that if one were to use the standard pronunciation in their presence, they would mutter “Huh? What are you talking about?”. At best, he can hold that their pronunciation may be evidence that they have not had extensive formal education, as there may well be correlation between such education and use of the standard pronunciation. But this would not be evidence for an assertion that use of the non-standard pronunciation is truly borne of, caused by, and/or substantively engaging in ignorance; it would just be another example of “People who hang out together say things similarly, in their own arbitrary way, while people who don’t hang out together don’t as much, having more differing arbitrary ways of speaking”. Objecting to the non-standard pronunciation would still be nothing more than futilely, arrogantly objecting to the idea that anyone should speak in a different manner from oneself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-originally-ask-or-aks/400054.md?page=2)