Dare to Ask: They dared to aks, so we'll answer

By PHILLIP MILANO, The Times-Union

Question, Aksed Once

Why is it a lot of African-Americans say words differently? For example, instead of "ask," they pronounce it "aks"?

L. Amor, 55, white female, Jacksonville

Question, Aksed Repeatedly 

Why do so many black people say "aks"? I grew up saying "basghetti" and "liberry," but I don't still do it.

FreedaBee, 42, white female, California

Replies 

A small mix of dialect with a lot of ignorance. The same reason a lot of (mostly) white people come to my job and "ask" about inkjet "cartilages."

Brad, 33, black, Winchester, Va.

As long as people understand what we are saying, it doesn't matter how we say it.

Jalissa and Charles, both 18, Chicago

I wonder this myself and am not proud. Speak proper English, my fellow Afro-Americans!

Cliff, 33, black, San Francisco

Most black folks migrated from the South, so since we tend to be raised in households with Southern speech patterns, we tend to speak that way, too.

Jim, 32, black, Jones, Ohio

Not everyone pronounces words like Caucasians do, and it's not right to expect them to. There are differences among us, including family rearing, foods, clothing styles, hairstyles, etc. Why would speech pattern be any different?

Amber, 27, black, Raleigh, N.C.

Expert says

Some might akseth: If it was OK for the "Father of English literature," isn't it OK for some black people (or anyone else)?

Chaucer employed it during the Middle English period ("I axe, why the fyfte man Was nought housband to the Samaritan?" - Wife of Bath's Prologue, circa 1386).

For a while (as in centuries), both forms were accepted. But around 1600, hoity-toity types in the Old Country decided "aks" t'weren't good enough.

"However, 'aks' was the form most commonly used in the dialect of English that slaves were exposed to," said Sandra Wilde, professor of curriculum and instruction at Portland State University, who researched the issue for her book What's a Schwa Sound Anyway? A Holistic Guide to Phonetics, Phonics, and Spelling.

"It's the nature of language to change, but one reason black English has persisted has to do with social separation. . . . You speak like the people you hang with - and there is still a fair degree of social separation in our culture based on race."

So "aks" really isn't "worse" or "lazier," it's just that some people retained this older version, she said. In fact, one reason for African-American Vernacular English (Ebonics) is that people who've been marginalized often hold onto language to retain their identity.

"[The debate over ask vs. aks] isn't because one is more logical or historically grounded," Wilde said. "It's because of who speaks them that negative attitudes carry over to the usage . . . it's reinforced by the media and the so-called language experts, the grammar snobs."

Phillip Milano, author of I Can't Believe You Asked That! (Perigee), moderates cross-cultural dialogue at Y? The National Forum on People's Differences. Visit www.yforum.com to submit questions and answers. Send general column comments to phillip. milano@jacksonville.com. You can also hear his podcasts or watch his TV spots.