So long, ed.

It's gone. The "ed" previously required in order to convert the word "ask" to past tense. I first noticed this development when I was responsible for editing the writings of a staff of radio programming consultants for newsletters. It's the aural thing, I guess, and the radio guys simply assumed if they didn't hear it it didn't exist. Example: "I ask her what she was doing." I thought it was just radio guys, who are not known for being grammarians. But listen. Everybody does it. Dr. Phil does it. "I ask him what he was doin'." I could rant about the state of education and diction, but who else would care. I'll just say that it's very satisfying to me to hear someone who's supposed to speak clearly articulate all the sounds that are supposed to be there.