ask English · revision 3615

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 725 (Old English āhsian)|origins=ine-pro *ais-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ɑːsk/, US /æsk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|asken]] (also [[m|enm|axen]]), [[inh|ang|āscian|t=to ask, call for an answer; to request]] (earlier [[m|ang|āhsian]], also [[m|ang|ācsian]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[gem-pro|*aiskōjanan]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) which Watkins derives from [[ine-pro|*ais-|t=to wish, desire]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Etymonline thinks the modern form was influenced by a Scandinavian relative such as Danish [[m|da|æske]], since Old English ''āscian'' would normally have become “ash” or “esh”, forms found in Midland and south-western dialects.^(Etymonline) Its relatives include [[de|heischen|t=to ask, demand]], [[nl|eisen|t=to demand]], [[lt|ieškoti|t=to seek]] and [[la|aeruscāre|t=to beg]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English ''āhsian'', before 725, with ''ācsian'' before 800 and ''āscian'' about 885.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Old English variant ''ācsian'' or ''āxian'', with the consonants swapped, became Middle English ''axen'' and later ''ax'', which was an accepted literary form until about 1600 and survives in dialect;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Tyndale's New Testament of 1526 has “I also will axe you a question”.^(Etymonline) ''Ask'' became the usual form in the late 16th century, especially in Shakespeare.^(Barnhart 1988) The early sense “to call for, summon” was obsolete by the end of Middle English.^(SOED 2002) Old English also had [[m|ang|frignan]] for “to question, inquire”.^(Etymonline) Variants of the saying ''ask a silly question and you get a silly answer'' go back at least to the 13th century, after the Book of Proverbs.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Ask'' for stating a price is from 1857,^(HTOED) and the Australian ''a big ask'', a difficult demand, from 1975.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 725 – Old English ''āhsian''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 13th century – ''ask a silly question''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * 1526 – ''axe'' in Tyndale.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – ''ax'' ceases to be literary.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1857 – to state a price.^(HTOED)

+ * 1975 – ''a big ask''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To put a question to; to seek an answer to.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To make a request of or for.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To require or call for as a price or condition.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+ # To expect or demand: ''too much to ask''.^(AHD)

+ # To [[invite]]: ''ask them to dinner''.^(AHD)

+ # ''(archaic)'' To publish [[banns]] of marriage.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[asker]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[question]]

+ * [[inquire]]

+ * [[query]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary calls ''ask'' the most neutral of ''ask'', ''question'', ''inquire'', ''query'', ''interrogate'', ''examine'' and ''quiz''.^(AHD) A separate Scottish and northern word ''ask'', “a newt”, comes from Old English ''āþexe''.^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}