The case for ain't.

[conuly]

There's an amusing little expression that goes: ain't ain't in the dictionary, so ain't ain't.

I'm not sure what it means, but it's not true. See?

Now, according to what I've always seen in my dictionaries, one early form of the word that would become ain't was amn't, from am not. So when our friend Granny Weatherwax puts the sign up saying that she "aten't dead", she's perfectly correct, other than the fact that she can't spell.

The lack of a good word for am not leaves a gaping hole in the English language... I'm not, you're not, he's not can become I ain't, you aren't, he isn't... but only if ain't is allowed.

Um. ONLY in the first person, please. Let's not get carried away.

Comments

[x--heart--x.livejournal.com]

as it is stated... you can do things without being logged in to the community name... but you really can't, you can't delete entries or change the layout or anything.. more help is needed

[conuly]

Please ask for more help on the support board. I do not have extensive knowledge in this area.

[feathered.livejournal.com]

I love love love it when you post language things. They are always so deeply interesting.

Um. I don't really have anything to contribute. I like the sound of ain't more than all of the others, and so on that grounds alone it should be acceptable. I also like i'n't. Better than isn't.

[conuly]

Lucky for you I've been a little obsessed lately, right?

[tiger012345.livejournal.com]

So when our friend Granny Weatherwax puts the sign up saying that she "aten't dead",
Maybe she mean, I ain't not, and then made that into a contraction, and then she got aten't.

[x--heart--x.livejournal.com]

as it is stated... you can do things without being logged in to the community name... but you really can't, you can't delete entries or change the layout or anything.. more help is needed

[conuly]

Please ask for more help on the support board. I do not have extensive knowledge in this area.

[feathered.livejournal.com]

I love love love it when you post language things. They are always so deeply interesting.

Um. I don't really have anything to contribute. I like the sound of ain't more than all of the others, and so on that grounds alone it should be acceptable. I also like i'n't. Better than isn't.

[conuly]

Lucky for you I've been a little obsessed lately, right?

[tiger012345.livejournal.com]

So when our friend Granny Weatherwax puts the sign up saying that she "aten't dead",
Maybe she mean, I ain't not, and then made that into a contraction, and then she got aten't.