It makes no grammatical sense.
2007-01-17 02:37:25 · 16 answers · asked by Portmanteau 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
I ain't got a clue.
2007-01-17 02:45:03 · answer #1 · answered by doodlenatty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The apostrophe is to denote that one (or more) letters is missing. For instance, in "you've", the apostrophe denotes a missing "ha"; Birmingham can be abbreviated to "B'ham", where the apostrophe denotes a missing "irming". In the word "ain't", the apostrophe denotes a missing "o".
Incidentally, it is a proper word (despite all the opinions to the contrary), provided it is used appropriately. If you're in a pub and someone asks: "Got as light mate ?" then a sensible reply might be: "Sorry, I ain't got one." It would not be appropriate to use it (except humorously) from the pulpit in a church.
Its origin is probably the USA and is probably a contraction of "are not", although it is now used to mean "am not" and "is not" as well.
2007-01-17 14:04:41 · answer #2 · answered by deedsallan 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ain't! Funny. YA spell check insists on apostrophe but I thought it was short for "are not!"
2007-01-17 10:49:26 · answer #3 · answered by ari-pup 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
of course you know it is an abbreviation of 'is not', or 'isn't', or even 'are not' or 'aren't'. Londoners twist it all around with their accents and say "ain't" rather than 'aren't'.
It doesn't make grammatical sense because it isn't a word, just the spelling of a word spoken in a local accent!
2007-01-17 10:47:27 · answer #4 · answered by gorgeousfluffpot 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Think about the real words "ain't" basically means.
- Am not
- Are not (aren't)
- Is not (isn't)
So it's like am/are/is not. Using the "a" from "am/are" and the "i" from "is" leaves the "not" to be shortened to "n't" with the apostrophe just like "aren't" and "isn't."
2007-01-17 10:48:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ain't is a contraction originally for "am not" and "are not",
as most contractions in english do have an apostrophe. ie don't can't isn't wasn't
2007-01-17 10:47:59 · answer #6 · answered by edwarjd 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ain't is a shortening of "aint it" the apostrophe is to show the absence of the missing letters. This is same as in isn't (is not), doesn't (does not) etc.
If you need help try Lynne Truss book Eats Leaves and Shoots.
2007-01-17 10:45:04 · answer #7 · answered by David M 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Of course it does! It comes from the English apostrophe of omission - "they are not" becomes "they aren't" and has degraded to, by way of Cockney to "they ain't".
2007-01-17 11:20:57 · answer #8 · answered by tobywestfield 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The "n't" is a contraction of "not".
"Ain't is a contraction originally for "am not" and "are not", but now typically meaning "is not", "am not", "are not", "has not", or "have not". In some dialects it is also used as a contraction of "do not", "does not", and "did not", as in I ain't know that. The word is a perennial issue in English usage."
2007-01-17 10:49:20 · answer #9 · answered by Husker41 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
aint is not a proper word it has nothing to do with "aint it" david m you plonker! Also it is eats shoots and leaves, a better version of this is eats, shites and leaves. Its a book of crap english and how to use it. I believe bush has a copy on his desk!
2007-01-17 10:49:36 · answer #10 · answered by Banny Grasher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋