Ain't no thang...[views:5212][posts:14]_______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 3:05pm - DeOdiumMortis ""] ain't Nonstandard Contraction of am not. Used also as a contraction for are not, is not, has not, and have not. Usage Note: Ain't has a long history of controversy. It first appeared in 1778, evolving from an earlier an't, which arose almost a century earlier as a contraction of are not and am not. In fact, ain't arose at the tail end of an era that saw the introduction of a number of our most common contractions, including don't and won't. But while don't and won't eventually became accepted at all levels of speech and writing, ain't was to receive a barrage of criticism in the 19th century for having no set sequence of words from which it can be contracted and for being a “vulgarism,” that is, a term used by the lower classes, although an't at least had been originally used by the upper classes as well. At the same time ain't's uses were multiplying to include has not, have not, and is not, by influence of forms like ha'n't and i'n't. It may be that these extended uses helped fuel the negative reaction. Whatever the case, criticism of ain't by usage commentators and teachers has not subsided, and the use of ain't is often regarded as a sign of ignorance. ·But despite all the attempts to ban it, ain't continues to enjoy extensive use in speech. Even educated and upper-class speakers see no substitute in folksy expressions such as Say it ain't so and You ain't seen nothin' yet. ·The stigmatization of ain't leaves us with no happy alternative for use in first-person questions. The widely used aren't I? though illogical, was found acceptable for use in speech by a majority of the Usage Panel in an earlier survey, but in writing there is no acceptable substitute for the stilted am I not? |
| ______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 3:17pm - Jesus_Slaves ""] i hate when people say aint. its like jewlery, liberry, nucular, and stoled. |
| __________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 3:18pm - litacore ""] I went to a party last Saturday night I didn't get laid, I got in a fight Uh huh It ain't no big thing |
| ____________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 3:27pm - paganmegan ""] Late for my job and the traffic was bad Had to borrow ten bucks from my old man uh huh it ain't no big thing |
| __________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 3:36pm - litacore ""] but I know what I like *doo-noo*doo-noo* *doo-noo*doo-NOO* |
| _______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:11pm - DeOdiumMortis ""] Shut cho mauph. |
| __________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:15pm - litacore ""] but I wuz talkin' 'bout Shaft and we can dig it |
| __________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:15pm - litacore ""] this thread shifted songs very suddenly |
| _______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:22pm - DeOdiumMortis ""] 1. Because I had no idea what song you were singing despite that fact that I probably hear it twelve times a day at work. 2. Nobody hi-jacks my threads without a re-hyjacking or at least a feeble attempt! |
| __________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:39pm - litacore ""] hahahaha, only seem to have on succeeded in threadjacking Josh yesterday |
| _______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:43pm - DeOdiumMortis ""] He's only a level two threader, far too easy to jack. I'm a level five, I'm far more of a challenge. And I can dig it. |
| __________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:44pm - litacore ""] it looks as if this sheildmaiden will have to refine her battle tactics this weekend! |
| _______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 4:46pm - DeOdiumMortis ""] My morningstar will obliterate your shield to smithereens!!! Have at thee!!! |
| ________________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 5:45pm - DomesticTerror ""] are you dorks playing "Magic: The Gathering?" |
| _______________________________________ [Jul 15,2005 9:27pm - DeOdiumMortis ""] More like Dungeons and Dragons. Get with it, man. Jeez. |