Arse or ass for butt

[primetec]

Hi together.

I have a question redarding both words "arse" and "ass". Which one is the origninal or the real one? (I mean the word for butt)

Somebody told me arse is proper englisch whereas ass is just the way americans express it.

The online dictionaries are telling me other things...can you help me out, please?

Greetz

[SoothingDave]

Not a teacher.

I think the answer you get depends on whether you ask an American or a Briton.

[Amigos4]

Not a teacher.

I think the answer you get depends on whether you ask an American or a Briton.

Definitely! You would get your 'arse' kicked in London while your American cousin would be getting his 'ass' kicked in New York! Nonetheless, regardless of how you say it, the same body part is going to be targeted in both countries!

[philadelphia]

I have just chanced upon the following link, which is quite worth: Ass/Arse

[Raymott]

Hi together.

I have a question redarding both words "arse" and "ass". Which one is the origninal or the real one? (I mean the word for butt)

Somebody told me arse is proper englisch whereas ass is just the way americans express it.

The online dictionaries are telling me other things...can you help me out, please?

Greetz

'Arse' was the original spelling.

I could have sworn I posted an extract from the OED with these words just a few days ago. It seems to have gone missing.

[primetec]

'Arse' was the original spelling.

O.k, thx I believe you, but can you prove that?

[Raymott]

O.k, thx I believe you, but can you prove that?

Yes, I did by posting the entry from OED.
But I think the above link already establishes that 'arse' was used in the 1300s before 'ass' was used.

[Ouisch]

This discussion reminds me of an episode of Cheers...Woody, the bartender, had just returned from a two-week vacation in England. While describing his trip he peppered his conversation with British phrases (saying "crisps" instead of "potato chips", "fortnight" instead of "two weeks", etc.) Everyone was getting annoyed and finally Sam said "Knock it off, Woody, you're making an ass of yourself." Woody replied, "I think you mean 'arse', Sam."

[bertietheblue]

'Arse' might be BrEng, but I think many people drop the /r/ in speech, at least in certain usages. I myself use both, depending on the word or expression. I would, for example, be:

more likely to say:
asshole (though I might write 'arsehole') - and I know many other British people drop the /r/ sound from this word, which is hardly surprising given that we hear it all the time in American movies

equally likely to say:
smart-arse / smart-ass
arse / ass

more likely to say:
half-arsed

only ever say (Is the word used as a verb only in BrEng? I ask because I've never heard 'ass' in the following):
to arse about - "I'm arsing about on this forum when I should be working on my house."
to not be arsed to do something (usually "can't/couldn't be arsed to do something") - "But, in truth, I can't be arsed to work on my house this evening."

[TheParser]

'Arse' might be BrEng, but I think many people drop the /r/ in speech, at least in certain usages. I myself use both, depending on the word or expression. I would, for example, be:

more likely to say:
asshole (though I might write 'arsehole') - and I know many other British people drop the /r/ sound from this word, which is hardly surprising given that we hear it all the time in American movies

equally likely to say:
smart-arse / smart-ass
arse / ass

more likely to say:
half-arsed

only ever say (Is the word used as a verb only in BrEng? I ask because I've never heard 'ass' in the following):
to arse about - "I'm arsing about on this forum when I should be working on my house."
to not be arsed to do something (usually "can't/couldn't be arsed to do something") - "But, in truth, I can't be arsed to work on my house this evening."

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Bertietheblue.

(1) Here in the United States, the word "a _ _ hole" is

taboo. It is not allowed on radio or regular TV. If you use

this word, you could get fired from your job. Also, of course,

the notorious f-word is absolutely banned from radio and regular

TV. Americans are often amazed at the kind of language that is

permitted on British TV. Even our newspapers would not directly

quote someone who said the f-word. Our Vice-President recently

used that word, and the TV shows "beeped" out that word. Does the BBC

"beep" out naughty words?

***** Thank you *****