Mark:
> In the US arse simply doesn't exist (I checked the OED--little help, but
> nary a US example) unless one is imitating Noel Coward, so the exercise
> doesn't work.
When when it comes to slang the OED sucks. The best it manages is to
rip-off Partridge, and even there, gets it often wrong.
When it comes to American slang -- forget it.
> I suspect that as the a in arse gathered its present pronunciation it
> separated from the more conservative US pronunciation. The r was probably
> never voiced in most of Britain.
Um ... Beg to differ. (I'll have to check this.)
{Certainly, bloody hell, it *was* voiced in Scotland. That sad joke about
the Scots rolling their arses.}
> "stop being an ass" refers to the donkey, but often becomes "stop being an
> asshole", "you're an ass" could be either and is more likely to be
> understood as posterior, whether the hole is added or no.
Actually, the ass(hole)/donkey segue, which *only* comes over in USAmerican
pronunciation is wild&strange -- lunatic back-reversed folk-etymology.
Ah, this starts from "arse".
I'm sure I can document this, but not at this time of the night or morning.
(And how come you haven't picked-up on "freemartin"?)
Manyana
Robin
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