P M Qs ... Usual Slaughtering Of Sir Beer Of Course.......

[ToraToraTora]

...but something else caught my attention this week. A Labour MP stood up and asked for some sort of apology for Slavery on behalf of the late (barmy) Bernie Grant. That didn't surprise me what did is that an MP did not know how to pronounce the word "Ask" - she kept saying "aks" aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh!

[Kardashev]

I have heard people mis pronouncing "ask" and other words of late but I have never seen any sort of argument that it may be correct. I know if I'd said "aks" in place of "ask" at school I'd have been corrected.

[Zacs-Master]

This is interesting by a black linguist:
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2014-jan-19-la-oe-mcwhorter-black-speech-ax-20140119-story.html

Particularly the bit about Chaucer's spelling.

[lankeela]

Nonsense - it is clearly spelled a - s - k which must be pronounced 'arsk' - if it was to be pronounced arks it would be spelled aks.

[naomi24]

I agree lankeela. Allegedly normal language in the south of the country, I have never heard anyone say aks instead of ask.

[douglas9401]

All I know is that Aks The Family would have been a totally different programme.

[ToraToraTora]

....and aks Aspel!

[Gromit]

A whole thread because someone pronounces a word oddly.
No coincidence that you have singled out a black woman of African origin for this observation. You seem to be implying it is a sign of her being uneducated, and not worth listening to.
Move along, Nuffink to see here.

[bhg481]

and this complaint from the person who pronounces "Mate" as "China" and "Stairs" as "Apples".

[ToraToraTora]

16:25 Who is that aimed at gromit? I have not mentioned race, that's all in your head me old china.

[ToraToraTora]

This is nothing to do with race gromit. It is a bug bear of mine generally. Look at my other posts about pronunciation. eg "Nucular" etc I never ascribe it to any sort of demographic.

[Zacs-Master]

"If that Gromit came into my pub and started throwing around accusations of implied racism, I'd say OY Gromit! NO! We've all had enough of your unfounded insinuations"
Snort

[naomi24]

Why was she asking on behalf of Bernie Grant?

[Peter Pedant]

I agree lankeela. Allegedly normal language in the south of the country, I have never heard anyone say aks instead of ask.

well you werent listening

The linguistic effect is called metathesis, and is well attested and well attested for 'ask'. Esp but not confined to ACV ( I think) afro-caribbean vernacular.

Look on it like Barth and Bath ( and baff) or Newcaaaaaaaastle and Newcastle as in hassle.

I agree - move on , nothing to see, but hey this is AB.

[Zacs-Master]

His demise probably was a factor in his inability to aks it himself.

[naomi24]

PP, Yes … I was listening. Still am….

[Peter Pedant]

well listen to one of these

46% of Londoners are Black and Minority Ethnic and 41% are not born in the UK. West London has the highest proportion (53%) of its population that are Black and Minority Ethnic and 47% who are not UK-born.
and
All of this is well illustrated by the forms “ask” and “aks.” “Ask” is a verb in standard English that means “to request.” “Aks” is a variation of this verb that is most often associated with African- American Vernacular English (AAVE).19 Jan 2017

oh lardy dah, normal day on AB then

[naomi24]

It certainly is a normal day on AB, PP. Your ramblings make sure of that.

[youngmafbog]

Perhaps Londinium should get independence then?

[Hymie]

Britain’s involvement in the slave trade is certainly a shameful part of our history.

I remember this topic being covered in a single history lesson (secondary modern school); there was no analysis of the rights or wrongs, just the basics of worthless junk shipped to the West African coast and traded for slaves, the slaves transported to the Americas/Caribbean in return for cotton/sugar shipped back to Britain.

Britain benefitted greatly from this slave trade, Bristol and Liverpool certainly would not be what they are today without the slave trade. Whether descendent of slaves should be compensated for mistreatment of their forbearers is open to debate – but certainly we should offer an unreserved apology for our involvement in the slave trade.