Who Put the R in Arsehole?

[Media Whore]

I would hazard a guess and say he says ass because in the song they are supposedly the words of an LA police officer. I wouldn't sound quite right if they said arse.

 

[I am a Ghost]

I would hazard a guess and say he says ass because in the song they are supposedly the words of an LA police officer. I wouldn't sound quite right if they said arse.

Neither would "'cos when I lived in the ass of the world".

 

[Media Whore]

Very true Ghost. Besides, does any other western English speaking country say ass besides the Americans?

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

Okay, but is an "ass" a donkey in England and other English speaking countries?

More research is needed...

 

[I am a Ghost]

Very true Ghost. Besides, does any other western English speaking country say ass besides the Americans?

To be honest, MW, I am partial to the use of "ass" and "asshole" myself, as well as "arse" and "arsehole". A lot of people on this benighted little English-speaking island use it too. The term "awesome" is a scandalous term which I will never use, however, until I happen upon something that is actually worthy of awe, the Second Coming of Jayziz, for example. I'm not holding my breath..

Pregs, yes.

[youtube]<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j9-fsnNW4Aw?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j9-fsnNW4Aw?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>[/youtube]

 

[Mmmmmm]

Here in Canada we use both Ass (+hole) and Arse (+hole) but in slightly different contexts. If someone is being a real jerk they are an "asshole", however, if someone is simply being annoying or a hindrance they would be an "arsehole". One is clearly a term of aggression borrowed from our southern neighbour ("You are such an ass!", "Shove it up your ass!"), whilst the other is a milder term ("stop yer arsin' around", "fell on me arse", "don't know yer arse from a hole in the ground")

Then there is our preferred way of hunting seals by placing peas around a hole cut in the ice, then waiting 'til they come out to take a pea and kicking 'em in the icehole.

 

[Media Whore]

Okay, but is an "ass" a donkey in England and other English speaking countries?

More research is needed...

Yes, sorry, I should have said, ass as in asshole. Now, where the word "fanny" fits into all of this is a scandal!

To be honest, MW, I am partial to the use of "ass" and "asshole" myself, as well as "arse" and "arsehole". A lot of people on this benighted little English-speaking island use it too. The term "awesome" is a scandalous term which I will never use, however, until I happen upon something that is actually worthy of awe, the Second Coming of Jayziz, for example. I'm not holding my breath..

Pregs, yes.

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Here in Canada we use both Ass (+hole) and Arse (+hole) but in slightly different contexts. If someone is being a real jerk they are an "asshole", however, if someone is simply being annoying or a hindrance they would be an "arsehole". One is clearly a term of aggression borrowed from our southern neighbour ("You are such an ass!", "Shove it up your ass!"), whilst the other is a milder term ("stop yer arsin' around", "fell on me arse", "don't know yer arse from a hole in the ground")

Then there is our preferred way of hunting seals by placing peas around a hole cut in the ice, then waiting 'til they come out to take a pea and kicking 'em in the icehole.

Well, consider my knowledge gratefully revised.

 

[The Seeker of Good Songs]

They're in bed but it's something about the way that 'a' sounds are pronounced.

I want to know why they say tack-o instead of talk-o.

So if "they" say "tack-o" do they also say
"tor-till-ah" or "tor-tea-ah"
and
"Jalop-i-noes" or "Ha-la-pea-noes" or "Hal-la-pay-noes"
and
"Kay-sah-dill-ah" or Kay-sah-dee-ah"?

 

[The Cat's Mother]

Okay, but is an "ass" a donkey in England and other English speaking countries?

*nods* An arse is a backside. An ass is a donkey. Both are used as insults.

 

[Dave]

None of "them" eat there but I used to go to a place that had quesadillas, as we would pronounce it, the "Spanish" way. But they had quesadillas con puerco Pork Quesadillas, that were called "porkdillas" rhyming with Godzilla.

The addition of pork to your quesadilla made the ll's no longer silent.

 

[I am a Ghost]

f*** forbid that words should be pronounced in their correct Spanish, Italian or correct English forms. What an intrusion upon "your" language..

AINTW.

 

[Dave]

England is not the world, either.

I guarantee you that the typical Californian is going to pronounce items on a Mexican restaurant's menu more in line with "the correct Spanish form" than the typical English person. We don't say "tack-o" and neither do native Mexicans and if it's even a word in Spanish, I'm sure the a gets a soft sound. I'm also very sure that Italians do not say paa-sta with that sad flat bleating a. (But I love the English. I just don't think you're in any way superior.)

But French is the best example. English people pronounce French words as if they were English words, which I suppose they do become... but Americans, while not speaking them as French would, come a lot closer.

 

[I am a Ghost]

You're not talking to me, buddy, I'm Irish, and we have a great respect and love for all languages.

Here is how Italian people, who in fact invented the stuff, pronounce pasta. Notta a lotta paaaaaaah to be heard...

http://translate.google.co.uk/?hl=en&tab=wT#auto|it|pasta

Here is taco correctly pronounced.

http://translate.google.co.uk/?hl=en&tab=wT#es|es|taco

And still we say A is not the W.

It's not difficult. Look beyond your United States, there is a whole world out there...

 

[Dave]

You're not talking to me, buddy, I'm Irish, and we have a great respect and love for all languages.

Here is how Italian people, who in fact invented the stuff, pronounce pasta. Notta a lotta paaaaaaah to be heard...

http://translate.google.co.uk/?hl=en&tab=wT#auto|it|pasta

Here is taco correctly pronounced.

http://translate.google.co.uk/?hl=en&tab=wT#es|es|taco

And still we say A is not the W.

It's not difficult. Look beyond your United States, there is a whole world out there...

haha! (and apologies for calling you English. ) I was looking for something like this on youtube. The examples you found are interesting because the Italian "pasta" is as I've always heard Americans pronounce it, but the "taco" does indeed sound more like the "wrong" way that English people would say it. I think I'm going to have to record a few people saying both these words now.

At the real google, not that dot uk version, we do hear it more the way I'm used to.

 

[The Cat's Mother]

England is not the world, either.

I guarantee you that the typical Californian is going to pronounce items on a Mexican restaurant's menu more in line with "the correct Spanish form" than the typical English person. We don't say "tack-o" and neither do native Mexicans and if it's even a word in Spanish, I'm sure the a gets a soft sound. I'm also very sure that Italians do not say paa-sta with that sad flat bleating a. (But I love the English. I just don't think you're in any way superior.)

But French is the best example. English people pronounce French words as if they were English words, which I suppose they do become... but Americans, while not speaking them as French would, come a lot closer.

What characterises the "typical" English person, then, Dave?

 

[I am a Ghost]

haha! (and apologies for calling you English. ) I was looking for something like this on youtube. The examples you found are interesting because the Italian "pasta" is as I've always heard Americans pronounce it, but the "taco" does indeed sound more like the "wrong" way that English people would say it. I think I'm going to have to record a few people saying both these words now.

At the real google, not that dot uk version, we do hear it more the way I'm used to.

Not that all these little idiosyncracies of pronunciation aren't attractive. Any accent other than our own always has a whiff of exoticism and intrigue. Some do not fall into that category, but that is an entirely, and equally interesting, matter. For example, the accent of Loyd Grossman is gross, man.

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

I have put in a request for an answer to the arse/ass usage "chasm," as it were, and we will see what my expert has to say.

 

[Dave]

What characterises the "typical" English person, then, Dave?

oh come on, we hear about the typical American all the time. everyone knows neither exists, right?

 

[The Cat's Mother]

oh come on, we hear about the typical American all the time. everyone knows neither exists, right?

Right. Just checking.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

We went to a diner last night in downtown LA and had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. The people waiting in front of us were coincidentally having the taco vs. take-o conversation, he was talking about his Irish friend. I thought, "Oh, this'll be interesting." Then they sat them down and us down right next to them and I overheard their discussion on linguistics turned to the difference in presentation and attitude between a douchebag and a dumbass. I guess this story has no point other than I heard almost the same conversation verbatim while waiting for a table last night. And I thought of you guys. Then they started talking about douchebags and dumbasses and I didn't stop thinking of you guys.