Who do people insist on spelling 'arse' as 'ass'?

5% of the world does. Anyway I'm not talking about Americans.

syntax error:/

[not you rockist_scientist]

Why do people insist on spelling 'arse' as 'ass'?

Sorry.

[xpost]

Wait, are you American?

Dunno. Same as people who trash threads they don't care about, I guess.

Caitlin: Don't apologise, I just didn't know :)

Arse - nasty
Ass - shake that

yes!! this is the most obvious argument. no-one wants to "tap dat arse", let's be honest.

sadly adam will not accept he is WRONG on this issue, I've seen it stretch across several messageboards for about three years now!

hth

phon: "arrzs" (more or less). IOW I dont ever say "ass" and use an american accent...

Yeah that's 'arse' :)

IOW I dont ever say "ass" and use an american accent...

[xpost agh bugger] It's not the accent, it's the pronunciation of the word itself. Like how we say 'ass' as in donkey-like thing.

Aussie slang would ask that the word be spelt "arse", as pronounced, coming as it probly does from UK slang.

Yet you see a lot of aussies SPELL (not say) it as "ass", and Adam is upset at this because he is railing 'gainst the Americanisation of the Aussie lingo, strewth cobber, ya bloody got me?

You knows I got nothing but love, dawg.

Yeah, that's spelt 'arse'.

If that isnt yr point for the love of god tell us what is before my head explodes!

My point is only to understand why so many people spell it wrong, and I was hoping for something a bit more forgiveable than "that's what Americans do", but I guess you're right. Thanks. :)

Gem: That's always 'ass' because it's an 'ass', pronounced 'ass' etc. q.v.

Wait, there's someone at the door

1. a. A well-known quadruped of the horse kind, distinguished from the horse by its smaller size, long ears, tuft at end of tail, and black stripe across the shoulders. Found wild in western and southwestern Asia, where it has been used from the earliest ages as a beast of burden, and whence, in later times, it appears to have been introduced as a domestic animal into Europe.
(In familiar use, the name ass is now to a great extent superseded by donkey (in Scotland cuddie); but ass is always used in the language of Scripture, Natural History, proverb, and fable; also, in oridinary use, in Ireland.)
c1000 Ælfric Numb. xxii. 23 Se assa ¼eseah ðone engel. c1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 2 Sona finde ¼yt ane assene ¼eti¼¼ede, and hyre folan mid hyre. Ibid. John xii. 15 Uppan assan folan sittende. c1175 Lamb. Hom. 3 Heo nomen þe asse and here colt. 1297 R. Glouc. 404 Hii ete Her hors+and hassen ar hii lete. c1325 Cœur de L. 6453 Fyftene hundryd asse Bar wyn and oyle. a1300 Cursor M. 3152 Þe child he kest a-pon an ass. Ibid. 6156 Sheepe ne cow ox ne as. a1300 E.E. Psalter civ. 11 Wilde asses in þar þrist sal abide. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xlv. 23 Ten hee assis+and as feele she assis [1388 Ten male assis+and so many femal assis]. c1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 285 Assen, oxen, and houndes. c1400 Apol. Loll. 97 Þe oxe knowiþ his weldar, and þe as þe crib of his lord. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. iv. i. 21 He shall but beare them, as the Asse beares Gold. 1617 F. Moryson Itin. iii. i. iii. 49 A Traveller to Rome must have the backe of an Asse, the belly of a Hogge, and a conscience as broad as the Kings highway. 1620 Venner Via Recta v. 87 Asses milke appertaineth rather vnto physicke then vnto meat. 1739 T. Sheridan Persius i. 23 As the World goes, who has not Asses Ears? 1760 Wesley Wks. (1872) III. 9 Procuring a fresh horse, about the size of a jackass, I rode on. 1782 Cowper Gilpin li, While he spoke, a braying ass Did sing most loud and clear.

b. fig. ‘Beast of burden.’
1614 Raleigh Hist. World II. v. iii. §i. 359 He+makes himself+an Asse; and thereby teacheth others, either how to ride, or driue him. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. 237 This Kingdome+usually stiled the popes Asse, which hee rode at his pleasure, til she was able to beare him no longer.

c. The ass has, since the time of the Greeks, figured in fables and proverbs as the type of clumsiness, ignorance, and stupidity; hence many phrases and proverbial expressions. (Chiefly since 1500; the early references to the animal being mostly Scriptural, with no depreciatory associations.)
c1200 Ormin 3714 Mannkinn+skillæs swa summ asse. c1400 Apol. Loll. 57 Wan an vndiscret is maad bischop in þe kirk, þan is an hornid asse born þer in. 1590 Nashe Anat. Absurd. Ejb, That which thou knowest not peraduenture thy Asse can tell thee. 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1875) 5 Wrangle for one asses shadow, or to seke a knott in a rushe. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 21 A dull Scholar not apt to learn, is bid to sell an Asse to signifie his blockishness. 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Asne, As angrie as an Asse with a squib in his breech. 1620 Shelton Quix. III. xxviii. 201 Well, well, the Honey is not for the Ass's mouth. Ibid. xxxv. 254 An Ass laden with Gold will go lightly up hill. 1622 Middleton & Rowley Old Law iii. i, Asses have ears as well as pitchers. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xi, He+would act the Asses part to get some bran. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 13 34 The ill-natured world might call him the Ass in the Lion's Skin. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. II. viii. 277 An unlettered king is a crowned ass.

d. to make an ass of: to treat as an ass, stultify. to make an ass of oneself: to behave absurdly, stultify oneself.
1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 124 This is to make an asse of me, to fright me, if they could. 1865 Trollope Belton Est. xx. 241 Don't make such an ass of yourself as to suppose that, etc. 1866 Fraser's Mag. 284/1 They could not be deprived of the common right of Englishmen to make asses of themselves if they liked it.

e. Asses' Bridge or Pons Asinorum: a humorous name now given to the fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid's Elements.
c1780 Epigram, If this be rightly called the bridge of asses, He's not the fool that sticks, but he that passes. 1860 All Y. Round 560 He never crossed the ass's bridge.

2. Hence transf. as a term of reproach: An ignorant fellow, a perverse fool, a conceited dolt. Now disused in polite literature and speech.
1578 Lyte Dodoens 348 Landleapers, roges, and ignorant asses. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. i. i. 176, I am not altogether an asse. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iii. ii. (1651) 316 A nobleman+a proud fool, an arrant asse. 1717 Pope Let. Hon. R. Digby Wks. 1737 VI. 73 They think our Doctors asses to them. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth I. 39, I am but an ass in the trick of bringing about such discourse. 1843 Lever J. Hinton iv. (1878) 25 Lord Dudley de Vere, the most confounded puppy, and the emptiest ass.

3. Astr. The Two Asses: the stars c and d of the constellation Cancer, on either side of the nebula Præsepe (the Crib).
1556 Recorde Cast. Knowl. 266 Other two starres are called the Asses whiche seeme to stande at the Crybbe. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 17 The two Asses, placed there as some say, by Bacchus.

4. Paper-Making (The relationship of the form asp, also used, is unexplained.) A donkey-rest (see donkey 3b).
a1875 Knight Dict. Mech. I. 170/2 Ass, a post in the bridge of a pulp-vat to lay the mold upon while the water drains from it. Used in the hand-made paper work. 1927 World's Paper Trade Rev. 24 June 2002/2 Ass, the wooden strut against which the vatman places the mould for a moment to drain, shaped like a bow. 1947 D. Hunter Papermaking (ed. 2) vi. 178 The coucher placed the mould+against the inclined drainage-horn, or ‘asp’, which allowed the surplus water to drain back into the vat. Ibid. xv. 437 The coucher+leans the mould against the asp or horn at the proper angle.

5. Comb. a. General relations: (a) appositive, as ass beast; (b) possessive genitive, as ass bone, ear, flesh, hoof, stall (where ass's would now be usual), ass colour; (c) objective genitive, as ass-driver, -keeper; (d) attrib. as ass argument (i.e. asinine); (e) parasynthetic deriv. as ass-coloured, ass-eared.
c1375 Wyclif Serm. xcviii, Sel. Wks. 1869 I. 345 Þanne mai we telle scorne by sich *asse argumentis.

a1300 Cursor M. 14963 Þar sal yee find an *ass beist.

Ibid. 7171 Hefand an *assban.

1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 356 This Beast+is of a Mouse or *Ass colour.

1658 Rowland Mouffet's Theat. Ins. 1048 A little creature with many feet, *Asse-coloured.

1564 Bauldwin Mor. Phil. (Palfr.) i. (1595) 19 Till they perceived captaines of armies to be *asse-drivers.

1672 Davenant Law agst. Lovers (1673) 309 Have her *Ass-ears in publick bor'd, as Love's Known Slave.

1629 Symmer Spir. Posie To Reader Aiijb, Some *asse-ear'd Midas will misconstrue these words.

1831 Carlyle Misc. (1857) II. 224 Not overloaded with *Ass-eared giants.

1822 T. Mitchell Aristophanes II. 190 *Ass-flesh, as food, is far preferable to beef and even to veal.

1601 Holland Pliny II. 338 To strew vpon them the ashes of an *asse-hoofe.

1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Asnero, an *Asse keeper.

c1400 Epiph. (Turnb. 1843) 140 Lyyng in a *nasse stall, Invenerunt puerum.

b. Special combinations: ass-back, like horseback, in later times humorously; ass-cart, a cart drawn by an ass; ass-colt or -foal, the young of an ass; ass-herd, a keeper of asses; ass-like a., like an ass, asinine; ass-man, a driver or letter out of asses; assmanship, asswomanship, humorously after horsemanship; ass-mare, a she-ass; ass-mill, one driven by an ass; ass-parsley, obs. name of some umbelliferous plant; ass-ship, condition or quality of an ass; humorously after lordship; ass-woman, female of ass-man. Also ass-head, -headed q.v.
1377 Langl. P. Pl. xviii. 11 Barfote on an *asse bakke.

1766 Smollett Trav. 42 The way of riding most used in this place is on *assback.

1800 Southey in C. Southey Life II. 109 Edith and myself on *ass-back.

1821 Blackw. Mag. Apr. 412/2 They met the country people coming in—some in horse-carts, others in *ass-carts. 1902 Yeats Where there is Nothing (1903) ii, A little kennel of straw under the ass-cart.

1587 Golding De Mornay xxx. 481 Tying his *Assecolt [Coverdale, asses colte] to the vyne, and the foale of his sheeasse to the hedge.

a1617 Hieron Wks. II. 166 In his birth he is but like a wild *asse-colt.

1595 Hunnis Life Joseph 72 He shall bind his *Asse fole fast vnto the pleasant vine.

c1450 Gloss. in Wright Voc. 213 Hic asinarius, a *nashard.

1652 Gaule Magastrom. 351 Quoth the *asse-herd, the lot means another, and not me.

1567 Drant Horace Epist. i. xiii. Eiij, Least thou *asslyke unloden the with greater note of cryme.

1581 Sidney Def. Poesie (Arb.) 59 They would make an *Ass-like braying against Poesie.

1770 G. White Selborne xxviii. 79 The head was about twenty inches long, and *ass-like.

a1500 MS. Bodl. 565 (Halliw.) And ye most Ševe yowre *asman curtesy a grot other a grosset of Venyse.

1859 N. & Q. Ser. ii. VIII. 17 Of+this *assman, as he was called, I have an anciently engraved copper-plate card.

1882 Punch 24 June, They witch the world with noble *assmanship.

1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man ii. (1603) 88 Who rode+uppon a silly *asse-mare.

1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Atahona, an *Asse mill.

1611 Cotgr., Cicutaire, mock Chervill, wild Chervill, great Chervill, *Asse Perseley.

1610 Healey St. Aug., City of God 694 Yet had he his humane reason still, as Apuleus had in his *asse-ship.

1729 T. Cooke Tales, Prop. &c. 87 Ended thus his *Assship's Reign.

1728 Daily Post 7 July, The famous Stoke Newington *Ass-woman dares me to fight her for the 10 pounds.

1800 Southey Lett. (1856) I. 119 Edith has made a great proficiency in *asswomanship.

ass, n.²

Now chiefly U.S.

1. a. =arse n. 1a.
(Webster 1961 ‘often considered vulgar’.)
1860 H. Stuart Seaman's Catech. 37 The ass of the block is known by the scoring being deeper in that part to receive the splice. [Cf. 1721 Bailey, Arse, (among sailors) the Arse of a Block or Pulley, through which any Rope runs, is the lower end of it.] 1930 J. Dos Passos 42nd Parallel i. 100 My ass to habeas corpus. 1934 J. O'Hara Appointment in Samarra (U.S. ed., 1953) iv. 119 You give me a pain in the ass. 1949 ‘N. Blake’ Head of Traveller ii. 37 Put it to rights in two shakes of a cat's ass, you would. 1959 W. Golding Free Fall iv. 96 You sit on your fat ass in your 'ouse all the week. 1967 Observer 8 Oct. 31/2 All our trousers are designed to fit round the ass and not sag at the crutch.

b. Sexual gratification. Also, a woman or women, regarded as an object affording this.
1942, etc. [see piece of ass s.v. piece n. 3d]. 1960 J. Updike Rabbit, Run (1961) 163 Then he comes back from the Army and all he cares about is chasing ass. 1970 R. D. Abrahams Positively Black ii. 47 When we got upstairs I threw her on the floor I was anxious to get some ass off that frantic whore. 1976 N. Thornburg Cutter & Bone i. 14 It made him almost wish he was sixteen again,+embarking on that long road of teenage ass. 1986 P. Booth Palm Beach iii. 77 Word is there's more ass up in the North End on the weekends than Heinz has varieties.

2. one's ass: one's self or person. Usu. with get and an advb. (phr.), as a synonym for ‘go’. Freq. as second element in contemptuous expressions, as poor-, punk-, sad-ass (see under first element). See also jive-ass, smart-arse, -ass a. and n.
1958 G. Lea Somewhere there's Music xxi. 180 If I knew it'd kill my ass, I'd follow. 1968 W. Labov et al. in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 337 Don't worry while they got your ass up there Breakin' up rocks like a grizzly bear. 1972 Language XLVIII. 914 Get your ass in here, Harry! The party's started! 1975 Toronto Star 27 Sept. b5/4, I protested at being told to ‘get your ass home’. 1978 J. Carroll Mortal Friends i. ii. 19 ‘Collins'll be off in America,’ he bellowed, ‘giving speeches while kids at football get their asses shot!’

3. Phrases. a. to kiss (a person's) ass: see kiss v. 6l; also to lick (a person's) ass in the same sense.
1973 C. Mullard Black Britain ii. iv. 44 We were treated like filth, not good enough to lick their asses. 1975 Maclean's Mag. Feb. 40/3 The guys who are returning to work are rookies. They're in there ass-licking. But when we get back, if they want to lick asses, they'll be licking our asses.

b. Used casually in various phrases as an intensifier, esp. to indicate strength of feeling, action, etc.: to work (run, etc.) one's ass off; to chew ass, to reprimand severely; to tear ass, to move fast, to hurry.
1946 T. Bell There comes Time ix. 57 Here's a smart apple like you working your ass off for a lousy forty bucks a week. 1946 Amer. Speech XXI. 198 Chew ass, reprimand severely. 1949 H. Robbins Dream Merchants vii. 199 ‘Come on, kid,’ he said. ‘Let's break their asses!’ And then he was running zig-zag across the field. 1954 Amer. Speech XXIX. 103 Tear ass, to drive fast or recklessly. 1958 J. Barth End of Road (1962) xi. 196 I've run my ass off today getting it set up. 1970 R. D. Abrahams Positively Black iii. 67 So John packed up his bags and tore ass the next day. 1973 Black Panther 17 Nov. 7/4 Maybe if he saw it, some pig might+get his ass chewed. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 20 Mar. 11/2 You work your ass off for years so the kid can get a college education. 1984 Melody Maker 6 Oct. 13/2 You want to+retire to your bedroom and practise your ass off for a year till you become competent enough to try it.

c. up your ass: an exclamation of contemptuous rejection (often used imp.). Similarly in various descriptive phrases (see quots.). Cf. stick v.1 18d and up adv.2 3b.
1965 N. Mailer Amer. Dream i. 15 ‘Ain't you got any consideration?’ he asked. ‘Up your ass, friend.’ 1970 R. D. Abrahams Positively Black ii. 26 I'd 'a told that white motherfucker to fly up his own ass! 1971 A. Hailey Wheels ii. 28 You can stuff a surrender flag up your ass and wave goodbye to any discipline around this place from this day on.

4. Special Combinations. asshole, (a) = arse-hole s.v. arse n. 3; (b) someone or something foolish or contemptible; an uncompromising term of abuse; also attrib.; ass-kissing ppl. a. and vbl. n., toadying, flattering; hence (as back-formation) ass-kiss v. trans., to flatter, truckle to; ass-kisser, one who does this; ass-licker, a toady; hence (as back-formation) ass-lick v. intr.
1935 Dylan Thomas Let. July (1966) 159 The best socialists suck all they can from the jaundiced *ass-hole of an anti-socialist state. 1948 Amer. Speech XXIII. 319 Ass hole buddy, comrade-in-arms. 1962 J. Baldwin Another Country i. ii. 111 Of course, he's an asshole too. 1977 J. D. MacDonald Condominium xxiv. 208 ‘What did you call me?’ McGinnity demanded. Branhammer studied him and said distinctly, ‘I called you an ass hole, you ass hole! I don't trust one of you overeducated ass holes sitting there in a goddam row.’ 1981 R. Schoenstein et al. I-Hate-Preppies Handbk. 20 Two distinct kinds of Nerds are indigenous to America today: the asshole with a high IQ and the asshole with a low one.

1974 A. Lurie War between Tates xii. 195 It is bad enough to hear Jeffrey+call his teacher an ‘*ass-kissing idiot’. 1977 Rolling Stone 16 June 6/4 Glossy fringe publishing, T-shirt peddling and political ass kissing. 1978 S. Brill Teamsters i. 28 He had to watch the ass-kissers court Fitzsimmons. 1984 S. Bellow Him with his Foot in his Mouth 128 If it could have been done by ass-kissing his patrons and patronesses, B. B. would have dried away a good many tears.

1939 H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn 18 Besides, I wasn't a good *ass-licker. 1970 R. Lowell Notebk. 218 Not ass-licking for medals on the peacock lawn.

ass, v.

nonce-wd.

1. trans. To call ass.

2. intr. To act the ass. Now freq. in (orig. schoolboys') slang: to fool about.
1592 G. Harvey Pierces Superer. 57 He+bourdeth, girdeth, asseth the excellentest writers of whatsoever note that tickle not his wanton sense. 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler (1843) 52 To keep their Kings from devillizing and themselves from Assing. 1899 Kipling Stalky vii. 196 Don't mind learnin' my drill, but I'm not goin' to ass about the country with a toy Snider. 1932 A. J. Worrall Eng. Idioms for Foreign Students 1 Those boys are not working; they are just assing about. Ibid., Don't ass about with that valve, you'll break it.

Obs. in polite use.

1. a. The fundament, buttocks, posteriors, or rump of an animal.
c1000 Ælfric Gloss. in Wright 44/2 Nates, ears-lyre. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 175 Baleised on þe bare ers [v.r. ars], and no breche bitwene. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vii. liv. (1495) 267 Emoroides ben fuyue veynes whyche stretche out atte the eeres. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxvi. 233 They lete hange fox tailles+to hele and hyde her arses. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health xxv. 15b, The 25th chapitre dothe shewe of a mannes ars. 1663 Butler Hud. i. iii. 964 Then mounted both upon their Horses, But with their Faces to the Arses. 1704 Swift Batt. Books (1711) 235 Do you think I have nothing else to do but to mend and repair after your Arse? [i.e. behind you, in your rear.]

b. in phr. heavy arse: a lazy fellow, a lie-a-bed. to hang the arse: to hold back, be reluctant or tardy. arse upwards: in good luck. arse over tip (or tit), head over heels; also fig.
1530 Palsgr. 436/2 What up, heavy arse, cannest thou nat aryse. c1600 Timon i. v. (1842) 20 This man this daye rose with his arse upwards; To daye a fidler, and at night a noble. 1611 Cotgr., Fesse-cul, A Pedanticall whip-arse. 1633 Massinger Guardian v. iv, Nay, No hanging an arse. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 456 Could he stir To active trot one side of's Horse The other would not hang an arse. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 461 Arse over tip. Hundred shillings to five. 1932 W. S. Maugham Narrow Corner xi. 73 I'm pretty nimble on me feet, but I nearly come arse over tip two or three times. 1968 A. Diment Gt. Spy Race x. 184, I scrambled down a sharp bank+almost going arse over tit when my foot caught in a branch. 1972 Observer 24 Sept. 37/3 An alternative system which+turns Marx arse over tip. 1974 P. Tinniswood Except you're a Bird xi. 69 He'll have me out of the job as soon as look at me. It'll be an arse over tit job in double quick time.

2. transf. or fig. The bottom; the lower or hinder end; the fag end, tail.
c1400 Rom. Rose 7580 Thou shalt for this sinne dwelle Right in the divels arse of helle. 1556 Chron. Grey Friars (1852) 73 Whyppyd+at the carttes arse+for vacobondes. 1622 Mass. & Dekk. Virg. Mart. ii. i. Wks. IV. 37 The arse, as it were, or fag end of the world. 1750 W. Ellis Mod. Husb. V. i. 11 [Lay the sheaves] in a sloping posture, close together, with their arses outward. 1880 [see arse-end, sense 3 below].

3. Comb. and attrib., as arse-end; also spec. arse-end Charlie (see quot. 1942); arse-hole, -tharme, -therl, -winning, -wisp; arse-board (still dial.), the tail board of a cart; arse-gut, the rectum, also fig.; arse-licking vbl. n. and ppl. a., toadying; arse-long (cf. side-long); arse-push, a heavy backward fall; arse-ropes, intestines. Also arsefoot, arseling, arsesmart, arseward, q.v.
1880 R. Holland in O. Farming Words 2 In Cheshire the stalk-end of a potato [is called] the ‘arse-end of a 'tater.’ 1942 R. Hillary Last Enemy 132, I was shot down acting as Arse-end Charlie to a Squadron of Hurricanes. Arse-end Charlie is the man who weaves backwards and forwards above and behind the Squadron to protect them from attack from the rear. 1958 P. Scott Mark of Warrior i. 52 We are out of date. We get the arse-end of any new equipment that's going.

1599 A. M. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physic 139/2 For the comminge out of the Arsegutte. 1668 R. Lestrange Vis. Quevedo (1708) 55 The very Arse-Gut, the Drain and Sink of Monarchies.

a1400 in Wright Voc. 183 Arce-hoole, podex. 1930 E. Pound XXX Cantos xiv. 61 Faces smeared on their rumps.+ Addressing crowds through their arse-holes. 1948 Landfall II. 178 It's absolute comfort from arse-hole to breakfast-table. 1950 Dylan Thomas Let. 17 July (1966) 350 This arsehole of the universe+this+fond sad Wales.

1912 D. H. Lawrence in F. Lawrence Memoirs (1961) 189 [Written in D. H. L.'s hand over a flattering letter] Arse-licking. 1958 P. Scott Mark of Warrior i. 30, I can't go up and say Were you my brother's C.O.?+it'd look like arse-licking. 1960 F. Raphael Limits of Love i. ix. 116 The new fighting Yid still squeals like the old arse-licking kind.

1540 T. Raynalde Byrth Man. (1564) 54 When it [the fœtus] proceedeth+sidelong, arselong, or backlong.

1611 Cotgr., Culant, giuing an arse-posse vnto. 1660 Howell, Arsepush.

1382 Wyclif 1 Sam. v. 9 The arsroppis of hem goynge out stonken.

c1450 in Wright Voc. 186/2 Cirbus, hars~tharme.

c1000 Ælfric ibid. 44/2 Anus vel verpus, ears þerl.

1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 306 An hore of hure ers~wynninge · may hardiloker tythe.

1440 Promp. Parv., Arswyspe, Maniperium, anitergium.

arse, v.

(Cf. to elbow.) to arse about, around, to ‘mess around’, fool about. (Cf. ass v. 2.) slang.
1664 Cotton Scarron. 9 Arsing about. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 307 Arsing around from one pub to another. 1944 ‘N. Shute’ Pastoral ii. 22 Up in London you arse around and go to the local. 1947 N. Streatfeild Grass in Piccadilly 148 Mrs. Dill would understand. She would never arse about yattering all over the place. 1960 A. Wesker I'm Talking about Jerusalem 1, Don't arse around Ronnie, the men want their tea.

We should return to mediaeval spelling.

I don't feel anyone's getting to the root of this.

the thread title question makes no sense: Who do people insist????
-- Ô¿Ô (masses7...), July 18th, 2005 1:46 PM. (later)

Okay, from this point on you have to pretend the title says this:
Why do people insist on spelling 'arse' as 'ass'?

Sorry.

-- Hotman Paris Almanac (ada...), July 18th, 2005 1:48 PM. (later)

being an arse is being silly or stroppy or stubborn, but being an ass means being malicious and nasty

the king of dictionaries.

i use ass, arse, and pronounce it "ass" and "arse". sometimes i wrtie arse and pronounce it "ass" HAHAHAHAHAHAA

heres the etymologies for arse btw: that arsch heads up was OTM

"Forms: 1 ærs, ears, 1-7 ars, 4-5 ers(e, eeres, arce, 4-9 arse. [common Teut.: cf. OHG., ON., Da., Sw. ars, OFris. ers, G. arsch, OTeut. *ars-oz, cogn. w. Gr. {olenisacu}{rho}{rho}{omicron}{fsigma}, *{olenisacu}{rho}{sigma}{omicron}{fsigma}.]"

ass = donkey has nothing to do with ass = butt btw
"[vulgar and dial. sp. and pronunc. of ARSE.]"

I thought this thread might be like that interminable one on how "pawn" and "p0rn" are pronounced the same

get one biology lesson!!!!!

ass (2)
slang for "backside," first attested 1860 in nautical slang, in popular use from 1930; from Amer.Eng. pronunciation of arse (q.v.). The loss of -r- before -s- attested in several other words (e.g. burst/bust, curse/cuss, horse/hoss, barse/bass). Indirect evidence of the change from arse to ass can be traced to 1785 (in euphemistic avoidance of ass "donkey" by polite speakers) and perhaps to Shakespeare, if Nick Bottom transformed into a donkey in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1594) is the word-play some think it is. Meaning "woman regarded as a sexual object" is from 1942. Asshole first attested 1935.

urgent fucking revival

Was it you who wrote "badarse" on some thread today?

lol

haha probably

It all comes down to, "stupid kids these days", doesn't it?

the population of the United States is nearly twice as large as that of the other primarily English-speaking nations combined, essentially no one who lives there uses the word 'arse' to mean ass (or the word ass to mean donkey), and if you don't like it, you can kiss our collective you know what

^^^^^^^^^^

wtf? I'm not referring to Americans.

"badarse" v different meaning to "badass"

you're referring to "people" who speak English

Who do people insist on spelling 'nife' as 'knife'?

you're referring to "people" who speak English people who say 'arse' but spell it 'ass'

Americans say 'ass' and spell it 'ass', so beyond the scope of this thread.

bad arse

Who do people insist on posting on a thread without reading it?

AA in 35 years:

"When I was a kid we knew how to spell 'arse' the way 'arse' was really spelled. A-r-s-e. Arse! Not like today, what with every young ninny and his kid sister spelling it a-s-s. Ass! Hah! I'm going to write a letter to the Times."

right you're telling non-Americans to stop spelling the word like Americans, but you're not talking about Americans

I'd say this is a similar argument about Americans who spell it "arse"; just seems weird and contrived.

can't believe there are americans that go to the trouble of typing "arse"

^ that's deliberate though

right you're telling non-Americans to stop spelling the word like Americans, but you're not talking about Americans

-- gabbneb, Tuesday, 8 July 2008 07:53 (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

otm

well, not talking about all of North America really

arse is a disgusting thing to say anyway and britishes should give it up asap

agreed.

britishes are the most disgusting savages in all the world imo

agreed.

u+k u might say

this thread is faeces

http://www.sausages.co.uk/haggis%20in%20dish%20with%20knife%20-%20colour.JPG

You can practically taste the gushing entrails.

I only use "arse" when in Flashman mode. Seeing as I rarely tally dat ho, "ass" is manifestly the preferred option. Sorry to not be a real man, AA.

But it's wrong.

The Americans may be mentally stunted by their overly sweet bread, but in this case they are correct. 'Bad ass' is Lemmy. 'Bad arse' is smelly.

Depends on pronunciation.

Adam I still dont think I understand your point. If it isnt about americans - and it is only really americans and american-influenced westerners who spell the word "ass" and mean THE SAME THING AS ARSE - then what is the issue here, why are you cranky about it?

Arse and ass in this context = same thing: one's butt, or one acting like a complete butt. "arse" is pron different to "ass" in the US, but some australians SAY "arse" but spell it "ass".

And I'm done.

arse sounds like parse
ass sounds like lass

arsperger's

arse sounds like farce
ass sounds like gas

^

Adam: so you're asking why some ppl SPELL "arse" (pron as such) "ass". And I'd again say, it is kids exposed to a lot of US media, thinking thats how the word is spelt.

....and?

...and it's wrong.

But you asked why, you didn't make a declaration.

People have said "because of US media influence". I think thats a fair answer.

haha i got totally clowned once for saying "bad arse" and i deserved it

I asked why people insist on getting it wrong. So, they know it's wrong, and they continue to get it wrong, and I want to know why.

http://www.sarukoen.com/archives/Live_Fast_Die_Young_Rebel_Without_A_Cause.jpg

xpost
sheer bloody-mindedness

I do have no idea what you're on about. It must be an Australian thing that there are people who pronounce it arse yet spell it ass. I spell both variants the way I say them, and use them in roughly equal frequency. Ass is better in some contexts, in others it just sounds unnecessarily American.

I never say "ass" american style, I feel ridiculous.

i can't even imagine someone with an english or australian accent saying 'ass'. That would sound ridiculous. and unnatural

unless you're quoting bender

I say it all the time but who knows, I may well be fairly ridiculous and unnatural.

...

sonderborg: It does, but that's a whole separate thing.

Oh, I've been slow in comprehending AA's point. Yeah, of course it's stupid spell "arse" as "ass". But it's easier to use "ass" than "arse". We need a new thread for that one tho.

Yeah. This is all about the spelling.

Yes, well I'd say badass but smartarse, for example.

And then there's the old-fashioned ass to consider. If I say "Don't be an ass", it's probably a donkey, not a bum, but really, who knows?

See for me its easier to say "arse". Unless, like Jim sez, I'm quoting Bender (haha), ie mimicing US accent, or singing. I'm hardly going to sing "I see you baby/shaking that arse", now am I?

Mind you I dont say "badass" american accent style! I dont say "badarse"... but I say "badahss", I suppose. If I ever say it at all, which is never, so um... what was my point.

i say and spell it ass, i hate the appearance and sound of arse, it invokes ugly images of hungover men in blue undies standing on balconies in byron bay scratching their testicles and squinting forlornly at the sea.

that'd be the butt bob

Adam can't shake this 'ass' thing.

i deffo stand by this:

I think that anyone who doesn't live in a sheltered workshop for internet spelling pedants is pretty comfortable with the dual usage of "ass" that is common nowadays.

Mind you I dont say "badass" american accent style! I dont say "badarse"... but I say "badahss"

It's pronounced:

http://www.nanarland.com/acteurs/mariovanpeebles/image21.jpg

oh estela

b.a. jaggah

i say and spell it ass, i hate the appearance and sound of arse, it invokes ugly images of hungover men in blue undies standing on balconies in byron bay scratching their testicles and squinting forlornly at the sea.

Estela, you are a treat.

If estela ever irks you, the ultimate revenge can be taken by saying 'arse' at her.

Antiquing?

spelt

I'm more curious about this spelling. I used it once in a paper and the prof was all "'Spelt' is a grain". Merriam-Webster doesn't list it but now I think that maybe I didn't invent it.

I thought spelled was a past simple and spelt was a past participle, but I could be wrong.

US English isn't big on past participles, which is probably why yr M-W doesn't list it.

Spelt and spelled are both acceptable in UK English. Dunno about US.

ARARRARGRGAGRGHARGHH KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL

stop reviving anus threads

srsly <3 u lj but son

i have a semi-automatic oed and i'm not afraid to use it

good arse fact: a common type of songbird called a "wheatear" is not named after ears of wheat; its title is in fact a derivation of "white arse", for that is the colour of said bird's rump

good wheatear fact: the "cyprus pied wheatear" is cyprus' only endemic species of bird

good cyprus pied wheatear fact: i have seen this bird on familial visits, it is delightful

good i fact: i sometimes use the word "ass" instead of "arse", it's true :(

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41798000/jpg/_41798970_usa416.jpg

colour me arse

Between this, the lastfm and the shouty 77 thread I am starting to wonder if everyone on ilx is touched in the head.

I wish American's could use the phrase "can't be arsed" because it so precisely describes the feeling. Well, I could use it, but it would feel like a big fucking affectation.

It is such a useful phrase :D

A reason to be grateful for being Australian!

Just realized that Ziggy Stardust had a god-given ass, not a god-given arse. Bowie understood.

u say tomato and i say tom-ass-to

lol

why do people insist on saying "newsy wewsies" as "news"?

Just realized that Ziggy Stardust had a god-given ass, not a god-given arse. Bowie understood.

"He was the Narze / with god-given arse"

Asshole first attested 1935.

I Just Died in Your Arse Tonight

Take Me in Your Arse (Rock Me for a Little While)

Waving My Arse in the Air

Brothers in Arse

You Can't Put Your Arse Round a Memory

And the Arse Saw the Angel

KEEP YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR APPS

^NJ highway sign