Date: Thu, 30 Oct 1997 17:53:48 +0900

From: Daniel Long dlong[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]JOHO.OSAKA-SHOIN.AC.JP

Subject: Re: Aks, ast (was "Hit")



Have any thoughts on the form 'ast'? Not for the past tense "asked",

but for the non-past, "I'll have to ast him". (I think that I probably

use "ast" for the past tense, especially in fast non-careful speech.)

I have a well-educated young white friend from Middle Tennessee who

uses this. His is a noticeably different dialect from mine (in West

Tennessee), but although I don't have it myself, I think I heard in West

Tennessee as well. Something tells me though that he wouldn't say "It

never hurts to ast". Is the phonological environment here of some

relevance? Is it the result of loosing a distinction between past and

non-past tense?



Danny Long

--

Daniel Long, Associate Professor NEW tel +81-6-723-8297

Japanese Language Research Center NEW fax +81-6-723-8302

Osaka Shoin Women's College dlong[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]joho.osaka-shoin.ac.jp

4-2-26 Hishiyanishi http://www.age.ne.jp/x/oswcjlrc/

Higashi-Osaka-shi, Osaka Japan 577