Linguicism is an idea invented by human-rights activist and linguist Tove Skutnabb-Kangas to describe discrimination based on language or dialect. The prejudice around “aks” is an example of linguicism.
The “s” and “k” being interchanged in “aks” and “ask” is an instance of what linguists call metathesis – a process which is very common. For example, wasp used to be pronounced “waps” but the former has now become the go-to word.
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Today, “aks” is also found in UK varieties of English, including Multicultural London English. This dialect, spoken mainly by people from ethnic minority backgrounds, came about through contact between different dialects of English and immigrant languages, including Caribbean Creoles, such as Jamaican Creole.
The example of “aks” neatly demonstrates the absurdity, the baselessness and, crucially, the pernicious impact of deeming any one form of English to be “correct”.
Like Sunn, my great grandfather was a geechee and the Gullah language is ... unique. A lot of his language was passed down but eventually lost as white oppressors decided to do everything in their power to stamp out any other language other than their approved versions. As of now Sunn m'Cheaux is the first and so far only instructor of Gullah at Harvard and I'm thankful that he exists to continue educating people and teaching the language.