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