A note on correct language: The idea of a correct language is probably related to the concept of the nation state. When a nation state is invented and created a language is often used as a national identifier. More importantly there has been a tendency in many states to define a “correct language”. This was done in Iceland when supporters of the nation-to-be defined language rules for Icelandic and condemned deviances as *WRONG*. This is still notable in Iceland as the country has one of the world’s highest ratio of language fascists.

Oh, sorry… fell asleep there for a sec…

Really, dude… you have WAY too much time on your hands to be thinking about these things… but since you raised these questions, hell, I’ll go ahead and give you my totally bullshit answers.

First of all, I only have good points. Your point on me having good points is redundant… ;-)

Secondly, “aks” probably arose partly out of dyslexia, perhaps partly out of people’s inability to realize that “aks” sounds like “axe” and that a noun doesn’t always substitute so well for a verb, and partly because they think it sounds cool to be from “the ‘hood…”

Don’t know if it’s incorrect to use language incorrectly on purpose. I think we’re going into deeper issues here than language… It may be, as you pointed out, using language in a way that differs from established convention. Or it could be just someone showing off. Knowing Americans, it’s the latter. No one’s that smart in the States. Even me.

“I wonder how many of the conventions we call correct language today may have been found incorrect around the time they were first established.” Don’t know, but I expect a 500-word essay on this topic on my desk by 4pm tomorrow.

“Maybe correct language is ultimately defined only by those unreasonable few who use language incorrectly (i.e. in novel ways).” Again, don’t know. Ask e e cummings, Mark Twain, or even Halldor Laxness… oops, they’re all dead…

“Maybe “all progress depends on” them.” Oh please, God, no…

Did “aks” arise out of popular culture? I thought it was from some kind of regional or ethnic dialect.

Don’t know about using language “incorrectly” … is it really incorrect if you are doing it on purpose? Or is it just using language in a way that differs from established convention?

I wonder how many of the conventions we call correct language today may have been found incorrect around the time they were first established.

Maybe correct language is ultimately defined only by those unreasonable few who use language incorrectly (i.e. in novel ways).

Maybe “all progress depends on” them.

No, we didn’t technologically freeze our languages. Rather, technology will probably speed up the pace of language change because “what’s cool” will be spread faster. And, at least in English, “what’s cool” is messing with language or trying to use it incorrectly on purpose.