"Ask" as a noun

[Alexander Corrino]

I certainly feel for you. It's unanimously consider that Mandarin is the hardest language to learn on Earth. However, if you rephrase that to what's the hardest language in the world to understand, it might have to be modern English, based solely on the ever changing nature of it. It easily has to be the most amorphous language in use on Earth.

Even us native speakers start losing grasp on some of its usage within our own lifetimes. Every generation seems to want to put a spin on it that makes it their own, & usually not in a way that makes it simpler by any metric. It's always adding more nuance & meaning & flexibility to the already most used words, like the word with the most definitions, "Set"

It could eventually be that the majority of our language we'll feature mostly 2-5 letter, monosyllabic words that have endless amounts of meaning. Go, do, so, to, be, is, set, get, hit, bit, put, ask, act, pay, say, see, make, call, have, need, take, will, want, work, play, send, stop, drop, lead, hand, head, face, side, deal, land, like...

In fact, having ask be a noun makes about as much sense as having like be one, which thanks to social media, getting a "like" isn't thought of as odd at all anymore

Yes, English seems to be changing at a rapid pace, much more so than other languages. I mean it takes a somewhat different approach compared to my native language - my language simply makes up new words when they’re needed (we’re notorious for creating word monsters). Or it digs out some old-fashioned words and uses them again all of a sudden and you’re like “wait I haven’t seen this word in decades, why is it fashionable again now???”. Or it borrows from English and puts its own spin on it. It changes, too. But somehow not this rapidly unless there’s a reason to, like it was with the pandemic, we’ve had to suddenly come up with a whole bunch of word monsters for stuff that has to do with that one.

I’m not against the idea of English turning verbs into nouns and whatnot, I’m fascinated by so much flexibility - I just wish it was a little slower so that I can adjust in time, I mean pretty much all of this goes against every single English grammar rule I’ve ever encountered

 

[Nerys Myk]

English never met a word it wouldn't steal.

 

[tafkats]

I didn't really ever hear "ask" as a noun until I started working in nonprofits, where it is common in fundraising discussions.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

This thread was the first time I heard it.

 

[scotpens]

If you're saying orientate instead of orient, part of me still feels like you're just trying to puff yourself up with extra syllables lol, whereas when you say commentate, instead of comment, we all understand new developments have created a validity for both to exist now.

"Commentate"? I've never heard that spoken nor have I seen it in print. How is commentating different from commenting?

As for "orientate," the extra syllable is completely superfluous. It's the same when people say "administrated" instead of "administered," or when the televangelist Jimmy Swaggart used to say "degradated" instead of "degraded."

. . . In fact, having ask be a noun makes about as much sense as having like be one, which thanks to social media, getting a "like" isn't thought of as odd at all anymore

Or "friend" being a verb. Or "unfriend," which sounds like Newspeak.

Change is inevitable. And for the English language more than most. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of it's history knows that.

If change is inevitable, predictable, beneficial, doesn't logic demand that you be a part of it?

 

[Nerys Myk]

If change is inevitable, predictable, beneficial, doesn't logic demand that you be a part of it?

Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin' - Bob Dylan

 

[LaxScrutiny]

- my language simply makes up new words when they’re needed (we’re notorious for creating word monsters). Or it digs out some old-fashioned words and uses them again all of a sudden and you’re like “wait I haven’t seen this word in decades, why is it fashionable again now???”. Or it borrows from English and puts its own spin on it. It changes, too. But somehow not this rapidly unless there’s a reason to, like it was with the pandemic, we’ve had to suddenly come up with a whole bunch of word monsters for stuff that has to do with that one.

Just curious, what is your native language?

 

[Alexander Corrino]

Just curious, what is your native language?

German. Best language ever if you need to describe or explain bureaucratic processes.

 

[publiusr]

I have heard of “an ask” here and there.

McNeil had a program called “Do You Speak American?” on PBS where Brits lamented how we Yanks turn nouns into verbs:

“Have you been beveraged yet?”

We don't even hear music the same
https://phys.org/news/2022-06-perceptions-happy-sad-music-universal.html

 

[Mojochi]

"Commentate"? I've never heard that spoken nor have I seen it in print. How is commentating different from commenting?

A commentator who is "commentating" is a person who's commenting in a professional capacity, on an event, like specifically a sporting event. i.e. Joe Rogan has been a commentator for UFC fights. Sometimes it's coupled with color. A color commentator is more there for their personality & less for their expertise, or for calling the sporting plays/moves, the way a sports broadcaster might do.

 

[Mojochi]

It's the same when people say "administrated" instead of "administered," or when the televangelist Jimmy Swaggart used to say "degradated" instead of "degraded."

I'd argue that administrated has taken on its own professional capacity too though. Administered is something we might all be capable of doing. You administer some first aid. Administrated is something done professionally by an administration, which we are not all a part of. They administrate the budget meeting. Administrate is the back forming of administration. (Unlike say capitulation which comes organically from capitulate... I think)

Degradated just sounds like nonsense... kind of the same as predestinated or certificated (Which do exist). Back forming for no particular reason I can find. Detoxicated is another one, because apparently detoxify or certify weren't cutting the mustard for some people. lol

 

[auntiehill]

The Grammar Nazi in me just had a small stroke after reading that.

 

[Mojochi]

I'm guessing, but they seem to come out of a practice that is like how we've done with design & designation. To designate something or design something are 2 very different things. However, when we got ahold of that practice, we just run rampant with it apparently

The other thing which does drive me crazy is...
how we just put -wise after E V E R Y T H I N G

Lengthwise, widthwise, clockwise, otherwise, likewise. Yup, we've got something there with those. Weather-wise, traffic-wise, health-wise? You're killing me. Where does it end? In other words, I blame newscasters for that deal

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If change is inevitable, predictable, beneficial, doesn't logic demand that you be a part of it?

Then I respectfully suggest that logic can go pound sand.

I have heard of “an ask” here and there.

McNeil had a program called “Do You Speak American?” on PBS where Brits lamented how we Yanks turn nouns into verbs:

“Have you been beveraged yet?”

I see a lot of stuff like this in my store. "Bake" and "boil" turned into nouns was bad enough...but, hell, now they have "cheese" as a verb.

Joe Rogan has been a commentator for UFC fights.

Oh, the irony.

 

[Mojochi]

Oh, the irony.

That they'd go after a commentator for his comments? lol who else would they be likeliest to go after?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I just thought Rogan commenting on UFC fights was a funny thing because that's basically what his radio show is.

 

[Mojochi]

I just thought Rogan commenting on UFC fights was a funny thing because that's basically what his radio show is.

For what it's worth, his fight commentating at UFC events predates his podcasting by about 12 years.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

I'd argue that administrated has taken on its own professional capacity too though. Administered is something we might all be capable of doing. You administer some first aid. Administrated is something done professionally by an administration, which we are not all a part of. They administrate the budget meeting. Administrate is the back forming of administration. (Unlike say capitulation which comes organically from capitulate... I think)

Degradated just sounds like nonsense... kind of the same as predestinated or certificated (Which do exist). Back forming for no particular reason I can find. Detoxicated is another one, because apparently detoxify or certify weren't cutting the mustard for some people. lol

I can't wait until we get "Administrationalist." In the meantime, just for you: Trogdor, the Burninator!!

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[CorporalCaptain]

I see a lot of stuff like this in my store. "Bake" and "boil" turned into nouns was bad enough...but, hell, now they have "cheese" as a verb.

What are you talking about? The phrases "come to a boil" and "bring to a boil" have been a part of the English language since before any of us here were born.

From https://www.foodtimeline.org/foodsoups.html:

"Bring the milk to a boil"—The National Cookbook: A Kitchen Americana, Sheila Hibben [Harper & Brothers:New York] 1932 (p. 71-2)​

 

[Mojochi]

Yeah, bake too. We've all been to a bake sale or a clambake