Re: Arse and ass (was: Yanks only half as good)

Ian Davis wrote:
In article <h9h7821frejc5373mivdr5s21stoiiar7k@xxxxxxx>,
Oleg Lego <rat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
The Stephen Calder entity posted thusly:

As I have commented before, it has been my experience that many
Americans do not even know an alternative form of the word ass
exists. When they dicsover it, they sometimes assume that it is a
euphemism. I have been called coy for using the "arse" spelling. I
always thought it was the other way around; that "ass" must have
originally been a euphemistic spelling.

I have always assumed that "arse" and "ass" was the moral equivalent
of "erm" and "um", in that the 'r' only modifies the vowel sound for
a BrE speaker, whereas the 'r' is distinctly pronounced by a NA
speaker.


In English ass is an alternative name for a donkey. It is derived from
the latin for donkey.

"Ass: The correct term for the animal commonly know as the donkey,
burro or jackstock. The term comes from the original Latin term,
Asinus. The scientific term for these animals is equus asinus. The
term fell into disrepute through confusion with the indelicate term
"arse" meaning the human backside. The difference between asses and
horses is a species difference, different species but closely related
and able to interbreed to a degree."

http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/donkey.html

I would argue that the difference between ass and arse was sufficient
to warrant different spellings of these two words. Worse it is common
to call someone an ass in english if they behave in a stupid manner.
"Don't make an ass of yourself" might be confusing to the uninitiated.
Quite why Americans tend to (those that do this) drop the "r" from
arse, and so arrive at ass is rather bemusing -- as a rule they tend
towards more sensible spellings of things.

Ian




Two donkey notes:

I understand from Mexican sources that the "shoulder cross" dark marking, seen on most, appeared after one such animal carried a pregnant woman to a birthing place.

My upbringing was in a culture that called them "dawnkeys"; I've heard many others say "dunkey", without apparent embarrassment.


--
Frank ess

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Arse and ass (was: Yanks only half as good)
    ... Americans do not even know an alternative form of the word ass exists. ... have been called coy for using the "arse" spelling. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Arse and ass (was: Yanks only half as good)
    ... that it was after the establishment of the American colonies. ... orrhos buttocks, oura tail 1 a often vulgar: ... but that tells us only about the etymology of "arse"; ... I have been called coy for using the "arse" spelling. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Somewhat OT: Sound and wind
    ... let's hear why you folk across the pond always call an arse an ass? ... euphemistic avoidance of ass "donkey" by polite speakers) and ... was also adopted in America, which is why the word "arse" is not ... monkey, or possibly from a familiar form of Duncan, cf. dobbin) to ...
    (rec.sport.rowing)
  • Re: Potatoes in my border
    ... knowing the difference between a derriere and a donkey is beyond so ... In the US the term arse is virtually unknown. ... of the American political landscape. ...
    (rec.gardens.edible)
  • Re: The Business Memoir - the ``whom question
    ... hardly ever means "donkey" outside the Bible or Shakespeare, ... commonly used to mean "annoying and/or stupid person". ... 'arse'. ...
    (sci.lang)