Ay - aye - Revision history

PeterWilson at 00:47, 9 November 2016

2016-11-09T00:47:26Z

PeterWilson at 00:05, 9 November 2016

2016-11-09T00:05:10Z

PeterWilson at 19:29, 7 November 2016

2016-11-07T19:29:30Z

PeterWilson at 19:21, 7 November 2016

2016-11-07T19:21:16Z

JoachimNoreiko at 13:40, 27 July 2007

2007-07-27T13:40:08Z

UngrammBot: Robot: Removing from Category:Words

2007-03-22T13:53:40Z

Robot: Removing from Category:Words

UngrammBot: Robot: Changing Category:Archaisms

2007-03-22T13:22:26Z

Robot: Changing Category:Archaisms

PeterWilson at 18:04, 25 November 2006

2006-11-25T18:04:14Z

New page

In the past, the two words '''ay''' and '''aye''' have been spelled interchangeably. Confusion still exists, understandably; but there are two different words, probably having originated completely separately. Try to be clear about them. Although both are [[archaic]], the first is currently part of the northern dialects of British English, and also part of the rituals of the Houses of Parliament; the other is still to be found in Christian hymns and other formal, more or less literary, texts. To my knowledge, its current use in English is limited to informal Scots.

The first, an [[interjection]], means 'yes'. It is always pronounced the same as 'I' and 'eye'. Indeed, in [[Shakespeare]]â€™s time, it was often written '''I'''. ''OED'' says that the spelling with '-e' (aye) is "better on every ground"; one can only agree. Parliament, for example, records votes as ''''aye'''sâ€™ and â€˜noesâ€™. If a motion is successful, the tellers (counters of the vote) announce that 'The '''aye'''s have itâ€™. (In more modern English, one might say "The majority have voted 'yes'.")

In the Royal Navy, the customary response to a superior officerâ€™s order is â€œAye aye, Sir.â€

The second word, '''ay''', is an [[adverb]] of time. (Perhaps I should say '<u>was</u> an adverb of time'; it is hardly current in modern [[SE]], though it is still part of some [[dialect]]s.) Its root meaning is 'always'. ''OED'' alleges that it is always pronounced to rhyme with â€˜dayâ€™ and â€˜sayâ€™; but I have heard it pronounced normally in Scotland just like the interjection aye, â€˜yesâ€™. However, there is no doubt that the orthodox spelling in modern English for this meaning â€“ â€˜alwaysâ€™ or â€˜everâ€™ â€“ should be '''ay'''; and that the word should be pronounced in [[RP]] to sound like the second vowel in â€˜alw<big>ay</big>sâ€™.

Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)
[[category:usage]] [[category:words]] [[category:Archaisms]]

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 The second word, '''ay''', is an [[adverb]] of time (perhaps '<u>was</u> an adverb of time'; it is hardly current in modern [[SE]], though it is still part of some [[dialect]]s).  Its root meaning is 'always'.  ''OED'' alleges that it is always pronounced to rhyme with 'day' and 'say'; but the normal pronunciation in Scotland is just like the interjection aye, 'yes', to rhyme with 'sky'.  However, there is no doubt that the orthodox spelling in modern English for this meaning 'always' or 'ever' should be '''ay'''; and that the word should be pronounced in [[RP]] to sound like the second vowel in 'alw<big>ay</big>s', to rhyme with 'say' and 'day'.
-Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)
+Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', ''adv.''" that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' ''adv.'' ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', ''int.'', (''adv.'')," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)
-::You may also like to see AWE's page on this and other [[homophone]]s at [[Ay - aye - eye - I]].
+::There is also an animal, a type of lemur, native to Madagascar, known by its name in the native language '''aye-aye''', which is supposed to imitate its call.
 [[Category:Usage]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:05, 9 November 2016
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	Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)		Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)
		+
		+	::You may also like to see AWE's page on this and other [[homophone]]s at [[Ay - aye - eye - I]].

	[[Category:Usage]]		[[Category:Usage]]

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 In the Royal Navy, the customary response to a superior officer's order is "Aye aye, Sir."
-The second word, '''ay''', is an [[adverb]] of time (perhaps '<u>was</u> an adverb of time'; it is hardly current in modern [[SE]], though it is still part of some [[dialect]]s.)  Its root meaning is 'always'.  ''OED'' alleges that it is always pronounced to rhyme with 'day' and 'say'; but the normal pronunciation in Scotland is just like the interjection aye, 'yes', to rhyme with 'sky'.  However, there is no doubt that the orthodox spelling in modern English for this meaning 'always' or 'ever' should be '''ay'''; and that the word should be pronounced in [[RP]] to sound like the second vowel in 'alw<big>ay</big>s', to rhyme with 'say' and 'day'.
+The second word, '''ay''', is an [[adverb]] of time (perhaps '<u>was</u> an adverb of time'; it is hardly current in modern [[SE]], though it is still part of some [[dialect]]s).  Its root meaning is 'always'.  ''OED'' alleges that it is always pronounced to rhyme with 'day' and 'say'; but the normal pronunciation in Scotland is just like the interjection aye, 'yes', to rhyme with 'sky'.  However, there is no doubt that the orthodox spelling in modern English for this meaning 'always' or 'ever' should be '''ay'''; and that the word should be pronounced in [[RP]] to sound like the second vowel in 'alw<big>ay</big>s', to rhyme with 'say' and 'day'.
 Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)

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-In the past, the two words '''ay''' and '''aye''' have been spelled interchangeably.  Confusion still exists, understandably; but there are two different words, probably having originated completely separately.  Try to be clear about them.  Although both are [[archaic]], the first is currently part of the northern dialects of British English, and also part of the rituals of the Houses of Parliament; the other is still to be found in Christian hymns and other formal, more or less literary, texts.  To my knowledge, its current use in English is limited to informal Scots.
+In the past, the two words '''ay''' and '''aye''' have been spelled interchangeably.  Confusion still exists, understandably; but there are two different words, probably having originated completely separately.  Try to be clear about them.  Although both are [[archaic]], the first is currently part of the northern dialects of British English, and also part of the rituals of the Houses of Parliament; the other is still to be found in Christian hymns and other formal, more or less literary, texts.  To the best of AWE's knowledge, its current use in English is limited to informal Scots.
-The first, an [[interjection]], means 'yes'.  It is always pronounced the same as 'I' and 'eye'.  Indeed, in [[Shakespeare]]â€™s time, it was often written '''I'''.  ''[[OED]]'' says that the spelling with '-e' (aye) is "better on every ground"; one can only agree.  Parliament, for example, records votes as ''''aye'''sâ€™ and â€˜noesâ€™.  If a motion is successful, the tellers (counters of the vote) announce that 'The '''aye'''s have itâ€™.  (In more modern English, one might say "The majority have voted 'yes'.")
+The first, an [[interjection]], means 'yes'.  It is always pronounced the same as 'I' and 'eye'.  Indeed, in [[Shakespeare]]'s time, it was often written '''I'''.  ''[[OED]]'' says that the spelling with '-e' (aye) is "better on every ground"; AWE can only agree.  Parliament, for example, records votes as <nowiki>'</nowiki>'''aye'''s' and 'noes'.  If a motion is successful, the tellers (counters of the vote) announce that 'The '''aye'''s have it'.  (In more modern English, one might say "The majority have voted 'yes'.")
-In the Royal Navy, the customary response to a superior officerâ€™s order is â€œAye aye, Sir.â€
+In the Royal Navy, the customary response to a superior officer's order is "Aye aye, Sir."
-The second word, '''ay''', is an [[adverb]] of time.  (Perhaps I should say '<u>was</u> an adverb of time'; it is hardly current in modern [[SE]], though it is still part of some [[dialect]]s.)  Its root meaning is 'always'.  ''OED'' alleges that it is always pronounced to rhyme with â€˜dayâ€™ and â€˜sayâ€™; but I have heard it pronounced normally in Scotland just like the interjection aye, â€˜yesâ€™.  However, there is no doubt that the orthodox spelling in modern English for this meaning â€“ â€˜alwaysâ€™ or â€˜everâ€™ â€“ should be '''ay'''; and that the word should be pronounced in [[RP]] to sound like the second vowel in â€˜alw<big>ay</big>sâ€™.
+The second word, '''ay''', is an [[adverb]] of time (perhaps '<u>was</u> an adverb of time'; it is hardly current in modern [[SE]], though it is still part of some [[dialect]]s.)  Its root meaning is 'always'.  ''OED'' alleges that it is always pronounced to rhyme with 'day' and 'say'; but the normal pronunciation in Scotland is just like the interjection aye, 'yes', to rhyme with 'sky'.  However, there is no doubt that the orthodox spelling in modern English for this meaning 'always' or 'ever' should be '''ay'''; and that the word should be pronounced in [[RP]] to sound like the second vowel in 'alw<big>ay</big>s', to rhyme with 'say' and 'day'.
 Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)
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 [[Category:Usage]]
 [[Category:Archaic English]]

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	Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)		Confusion between these words can be shown by the fact that ''OED'' notes, first under "'''ay''', '''aye''', adv." that '''aye''' is recorded as a variant spelling of '''AY''' adv. ever; and second under "'''aye''', '''ay''', int., (adv.)," that "ay is recorded as variant of AYE, yes".)
−	[[~~category~~:~~usage~~]] [[~~category~~:~~words~~]] [[~~category~~:~~Archaisms~~]]	+
		+	[[Category:Usage]]
		+	[[Category:Words]]
		+	[[Category:Archaic English]]