"Amn't"...? Why do we have "isn't", "aren't", but not "amn't"? How about "ain't"? Is that the correct "amn't"?

Question

Could I say: "I amn't understand", instead of "I'm not understand" or "I ain't understand"?

Answer 1

You're correct - "ain't" is a grammatically correct way to say "am not." The word "ain't" developed at the same time as "don't" and "aren't," but when some Victorians got together and tried to apply ridiculous Latin rules onto the Germanic language of English in order to distinguish themselves from the "lower classes," they got rid of it. Nowadays, all serious grammarians and linguists accept the use of the word ain't - those who don't are generally uptight grammar Nazis who are ignorant of how and why grammar really works.

Answer 2

Mind, it is speech. Easier one stays & the difficult one gets lost!

'Ain't' stays as it is easy on the tongue & 'Amn't died at birth 'cos 'm & n in it can't be pronounced together without a vowel SOUND in between. We would have to say, 'amint'. Right. So, omitting the 'm' sound & letterin 'aimnt' won't hurt the language or speech.

So, the easier 'ain't' is retained & 'Amn't' was given an uncermonious burial!

Satisfied?

Answer 3

The proper subject for am is I, so the sentence is this: I am not, which is then contracted to I'm not. You are putting the contraction in the wrong place. You would never say I amn't. Contractions remove extra vowels to aid in pronunciation, so the letter I followed by the letter a is where the extra vowel falls. Ain't may have been originally contracted from am not, but it is considered to be poor grammar usage. People tend to use it for all subjects, like you, he, she, we, etc., not just for I.

Answer 4

I am a proponent of amn't and had this same discussion with a friend about two months ago.

Answer 5

i would think because amn't doesnt have enough vowels to work. the only exception is isn't but thats easier to say than amn't.

Answer 6

I've begun endorsing slang terms into my own vocabulary.
If you've ever seen 'Dude, Where's my Car?'.. They use 'Shibby'. Now, so do I.

I think I'll start using "amn't" as well too :)

Answer 7

Hey this is America! Say anything you want, as long as you press #one, to say and hear it in English.
But one word of advice....speaking that way with your family and friends is okay, but if you write it in a report, essay, or a resume, the people who read it will have a lesser opinion of your educational status.

Answer 8

I "ain't" is old fashioned English, so basically it is still correct. You can find it quite a lot in ancient English literature !

Answer 9

Neither of those is right it would be "I don't understand"
And "ain't" is commonly used here in Belfast as in "What the f**k leek, I ain't doin' that!"

Leek means like... just the way its pronouced here... it really does my head in!

Answer 10

hahahahaha my daughter used to say "amn't"!!!!!! The correct wordage is "I'm not."