I would like to know as much about the history of these words as
possible.  The thing is the word(s) a shame and ashame.  I believe
that ashame is not actually a word, but one that is developing into
one over time.  The correct usage of this is a shame, not ashame. 
However, dictionary.com has ashamed as a word, whereas many other
dictionaries such as Merrian Webster do not have it as a word.  I
understand that ashamed is a word, but a shame is a shame, not ashame.
 I would like to somehow verify that I am correct or incorrect.  I am
guessing the best way to go about this is looking into the history of
the word shame and see where things go from there.  Any information is
greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance.

Hello.

Ashame is real word, but it is somewhat obsolete. 

"Ashame" has roots in Old English and Gothic. It was both an
intransitive verb meaning "to feel shame" and a transitive verb
meaning "to shame."

The Oxford English Dictionary cites an example of the exact spelling
"ashame" being used in the 1600s:
"1603 KNOLLES Hist. Turks (1621) 814 The Graund master with this
answere doth..ashame them. "

In other words, "The Grand master with this answer does ashame them."


Here are excerpts from the Oxford English Dictionary entry for
"ashame":

"ashame, v.
[f. A- prefix 1 + OE. sc(e)amian to SHAME. Cf. MHG. erschamen, mod.G.
erschämen.] "

1. intransitive. "To feel shame, to be ashamed. Obs."
2. transitive. "To put to shame, to make ashamed."

Additional examples:
"1826 E. IRVING Babylon II. VIII. 291 He raiseth up..the foolish to
ashame the wise."
source: Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989

As such "ashamed" is the past participle form of "ashame."


Here are entries for "ashame" and "ashamed" from Websters Revised
Unabridged Dictionary 1913:

"Ashame
(A*shame) v. t. [Pref. a- + shame: cf. AS. ascamian to shame (where a-
is the same as Goth. us-, G. er-, and orig. meant out), gescamian,
gesceamian, to shame.] To shame. [R.] Barrow.

Ashamed
(A*shamed") a. [Orig. a p. p. of ashame, v. t.] Affected by shame;
abashed or confused by guilt, or a conviction or consciousness of some
wrong action or impropriety. "I am ashamed to beg." Wyclif.
source: Websters Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1913, hosted by
bootlegbooks.com
http://www.bootlegbooks.com/Reference/Webster/data/88.html


Now, none this is meant to suggest that "ashame" was the old form of
"a shame." It wasn't. "A shame" and "ashame" coexisted. "A shame" was
(and is) a noun while "ashame" was a verb.  This is somewhat analogous
to how "a way" and "away" both exist but have different meanings.

Also, I don't mean to imply the verb "ashame" was the older form of
"shame" (as a verb).  The Oxford English Dictionary also cites the
word "shame" (without the a-) as a verb in Old English.  Specifically,
both "shame" and "ashame" may be used transitive verbs meaning "to
shame" (i.e., to make someone feel guilty). What was the difference?
Well, according to the Oxford English Dictionary  the "a-" was as an
Old English prefix that implied "a motion onward" and was attached to
"verbs of motion adding intensity." Other examples: "rise"/"arise",
"wake"/"awake."

search strategy:
ashame, ashamed, websters
Oxford English Dictionary (proprietary database)

I hope this helps. If anything is unclear, please use the "request
clarification" feature. Thank you.

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 07 Jul 2003 00:31 PDT

Sorry for the typo in my first sentence. It should have read:

"Ashame is a real word..."

Greetings, andrewv!

In fact, "ashamed" does appear in the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=ashamed

as well as in all of the following dictionaries:

Oxford Paperback Dictionary and Thesaurus 
Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, 10th Edition 
Cambridge International Dictionary of English
The Wordsmyth English Dictionary-Thesaurus 
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language
Dictionary.com 
UltraLingua English Dictionary  
Cambridge Dictionary of American English  
Online Plain Text English Dictionary  
Webster's Revised Unabridged, 1913 Edition  
AllWords.com Multi-Lingual Dictionary  
Webster's 1828 Dictionary  
WordNet 1.7 Vocabulary Helper 
LookWAYup Translating Dictionary/Thesaurus  
http://www.onelook.com/?w=ashamed&ls=a

Regards,

aceresearcher