ain't
1. Nonstandard except in some dialects. am not; are not; is not.
2. Nonstandard. have not; has not; do not; does not; did not.
Are not ... is not ... am not
Though disapproved by many and more common in less educated speech; used orally in most parts of the U.S. by many educated speakers, esp. in the phrase "ain't I"
Seriously??? Would these songs REALLY have worked any other way???
"I Am Not Going To Eat Out My Heart Anymore" by The Young Rascals
"You Have Not Seen Anything Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (guess we'd have to give up the stutter, too, right???)
"Isn't That A Shame" by Fats Domino
"I Am Not Too Proud To Beg" by The Temptations
"We Haven't Got Anything Yet" by The Blues Magoos
"I Am Not Misbehaving"? "There Isn't Any Mountain High Enough"? "Isn't That A Kick In The Head?" "There Isn't Any Sunshine"? "There Isn't Any Woman Like The One I've Got" ... and what the heck do you do with "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby"?!?!?
Amn't as a contraction of am not is known from 1618.[3] As the "mn" combination of two nasal consonants is disfavoured by many English speakers, the "m" of amn't began to be elided, reflected in writing with the new form an't. Aren't as a contraction for are not first appeared in 1675.[4] In non-rhotic dialects, aren't also began to be represented by an't.
An't (sometimes a'n't) arose from am not and are not almost simultaneously. An't first appears in print in the work of English Restoration playwrights. In 1695 an't was used as a contraction of "am not", in William Congreve's play Love for Love: "I can hear you farther off, I an't deaf".[5] But as early as 1696 Sir John Vanbrugh uses an't to mean "are not" in The Relapse: "Hark thee shoemaker! these shoes an't ugly, but they don't fit me".
An't for is not may have developed independently from its use for am not and are not. Isn't was sometimes written as in't or en't, which could have changed into an't. An't for is not may also have filled a gap as an extension of the already-used conjugations for to be not. Jonathan Swift used an't to mean is not in Letter 19 of his Journal to Stella (1710–13): It an't my fault, 'tis Patrick's fault; pray now don't blame Presto.[6]
An't with a long "a" sound began to be written as ain't, which first appears in writing in 1749. By the time ain't appeared, an't was already being used for am not, are not, and is not. An't and ain't coexisted as written forms well into the nineteenth century— Charles Dickens used the terms interchangeably, as in Chapter 13, Book the Second of Little Dorrit (1857): "I guessed it was you, Mr Pancks," said she, "for it's quite your regular night; ain't it? ... An't it gratifying, Mr Pancks, though; really?" In William Hickey's memoirs (1808–1810), ain't appears as a contraction of aren't; "thank God we're all alive, ain't we..."[7]
Well, all I know is that we just spent a whole day saluting "Ain't" ... so for us folks here in Forgotten Hits ain't just meant some GREAT music! (And that ain't no jive!!!)
Ain't nothin' better ... than Forgotten Hits on a Monday morning!
An't (sometimes a'n't) arose from am not and are not almost simultaneously. An't first appears in print in the work of English Restoration playwrights. In 1695 an't was used as a contraction of "am not", in William Congreve's play Love for Love: "I can hear you farther off, I an't deaf".[5] But as early as 1696 Sir John Vanbrugh uses an't to mean "are not" in The Relapse: "Hark thee shoemaker! these shoes an't ugly, but they don't fit me".
An't for is not may have developed independently from its use for am not and are not. Isn't was sometimes written as in't or en't, which could have changed into an't. An't for is not may also have filled a gap as an extension of the already-used conjugations for to be not. Jonathan Swift used an't to mean is not in Letter 19 of his Journal to Stella (1710–13): It an't my fault, 'tis Patrick's fault; pray now don't blame Presto.[6]
An't with a long "a" sound began to be written as ain't, which first appears in writing in 1749. By the time ain't appeared, an't was already being used for am not, are not, and is not. An't and ain't coexisted as written forms well into the nineteenth century— Charles Dickens used the terms interchangeably, as in Chapter 13, Book the Second of Little Dorrit (1857): "I guessed it was you, Mr Pancks," said she, "for it's quite your regular night; ain't it? ... An't it gratifying, Mr Pancks, though; really?" In William Hickey's memoirs (1808–1810), ain't appears as a contraction of aren't; "thank God we're all alive, ain't we..."[7]
Well, all I know is that we just spent a whole day saluting "Ain't" ... so for us folks here in Forgotten Hits ain't just meant some GREAT music! (And that ain't no jive!!!)
Ain't nothin' better ... than Forgotten Hits on a Monday morning!
What a fun show, Kent. Great songs and lots of fun all day.
David Lewis
I suppose I ain't heard nothin' yet.
Jack
I suppose I ain't heard nothin' yet.
Jack
You definitely ain't - I think I came up with 36 or 37 in all - and still threw another dozen away! (kk)
Ain't no way you did that.
Jack
Way! (Sho' did!) Be sure to check the website throughout the day! (kk)
Ain't no way you did that.
Jack
Way! (Sho' did!) Be sure to check the website throughout the day! (kk)
OK Kent,
You got it off your chest now? And right after Teacher Appreciation Week! I named that word in '3'. (the first 2 could have been coincidences)
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
This was fun!
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
This was fun!
Tom
kk,
Do you still have time for "Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya" by the Ribbons and another good one, "Ain't Got No; I Got Life" by Nina Simone?
Dann
Do you still have time for "Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya" by the Ribbons and another good one, "Ain't Got No; I Got Life" by Nina Simone?
Dann
Sorry, no ... these failed to make the cut ... but I think we came up with some pretty good ones! (kk)
Ain't it a shame ... that you didn't include Andy Williams' wonderful "Ain't It True" among your "ain't" songs today!
– Randy Price
Well, I guess I can't say: "This ain't no way to run a website". Those are some dandies.
– Randy Price
Sadly, that was one of the last-minute deletions ... but you're right ... it IS a great song ... so we'll feature it today as a follow-up extra! (kk)
Well, I guess I can't say: "This ain't no way to run a website". Those are some dandies.
Dube
Who knew there were so many songs with AIN'T in the title or lyrics? I guess you did ... very cool ...
I haven't heard some of those songs in forever ... thanks!
Stacee
Thanks, Stacee ... and if you guys missed any of them (or just want to program yourself a couple of really interesting hours of music at work today!), simply scroll back and listen ... they're all still there. (And ain't THAT a fun way to spend your morning!!!) kk
