Just equining or buttocking around

Aaron E. Drews aaron at LING.ED.AC.UK
Fri Sep 22 10:32:07 UTC 2000


Lynne Murphy wrote:
>
> >There is an equivalent verb in British use: "ass [around/about]", from 1899
> >(OED).
> >
> >The (presumptive) variant "arse [around/about]" is cited in modern times
> >from 1922 (OED).
> >
> >A solitary example of "arse about" however appears in the OED as "obsolete"
> >[amended in the supplement], from 1664!
> >
> >All three apparently are in current or at least recent use.
> >
> >What is the relationship?
> >
> >-- Doug Wilson
>
> I've not yet heard 'arse about' (or at least I haven't noticed it),

I've heard it.  Especially in the common room when all the PhD students
are describing how their theses aren't getting done.  And the
supervisors
telling us what not to do in order to get them done.....

I don't think "arse" phonologically comes from "ass", or vice versa.
Clearly they're similar, though.  "Arse about" just might have been
an analogy since the use of the term "ass" has died out.

I've never heard "ass" at all here unless it's in imitation of
Americans.  I don't know what preachers say when they get to the
latter Commandments or about the journey into Jerusalem.

--Aaron

________________________________________________________________________
Aaron E. Drews                               The University of Edinburgh
aaron at ling.ed.ac.uk                  Departments of English Language and
http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/~aaron       Theoretical & Applied  Linguistics

Bide lang an fa fair                    Awa whair nae man has gaun afore



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