Mechanics 101 For 10/10‏

[Comsie]

Very simple, very plain, this time around. Is 'ain't' an actual word?

 

Now, most spell checks would catch this and say 'no'. But it's obvious an actual everyday word, and it's used enough to hardly even be considered a slang any more. I've heard that is actually a 'contraction' for the country slang "Aim not". (Don't know if that's true or not though. Sounds credible.)

 

So what do you think? Is it a word? Is it a slang? Or does it just not exist at all as an actual literary expression?

Edited October 18, 2008 by Comsie

[TalonRider]

I was always told that there wasn't any such word. But it does seem to be a word that has worked its way into everyday usage. I looked it up online and here's what I came up with.

 

 

Etymology: contraction of are not

Date: 1749

 

1 : am not : are not : is not

2 : have not : has not

3 : do not : does not : did not

[Graeme]

Feel free to use it in dialogue, but try to avoid it in narration, unless it's first person. That's my suggestion