Editor's Corner

Good morning! A while back, after I used the word ain’t in an expression, Mark B. asked me about the etymology of the word. Well Mark, I’m finally getting around to giving you a response with a little help from my friends at Dictionary.com.

Although many people consider ain’t to be at best nonstandard and at worst just plain wrong, it has a long and impressive history. And when you look at it alongside other contractions (like isn’t, haven’t, doesn’t, etc.), it’s a little surprising how controversial it is.

The word ain’t is found in historical writing and was used by lords and ladies in Victorian literature. Today, it is a legitimate part of many forms of English, including in Black English (AAVE). Most commonly here in the United States, ain’t stands for am/are/is not or have/has not. Here are some examples:

• I ain’t playing that game.
• They ain’t got any money.

Because it’s considered an informal word, I’m pretty sure you do not use ain’t in your professional writing, but many of you may use itin your everyday speech. I certainly use it now and then. It’s a very versatile contraction that began way back in 1706 as amn’t (a contraction of am not), and then it morphed into ain’t. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, ain’t got it’s bad rap from Charles Dickens, who popularized it in representations of the working class London cockney dialect “…which led to the word being banished entirely from correct English.”

Whether or not it’s considered “correct,” ain’t is widely used in English-speaking countries. There are quite a few common ain’t expressions (from the Dictionary.com article) that we’re all familiar with:

• If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
• He ain’t what he used to be.
• You ain’t heard (or seen) nothing yet.
• Say it ain’t so, Joe!
• Ain’t it the truth!

And you Looney Tunes lovers, may remember Bugs Bunny’s famous saying:

I ain’t gonna lie, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Donna Bradley Burcher |Technical Editor, Advisory | jack henry

Pronouns she/her/hers

9660 Granite Ridge Drive, San Diego CA 92123

Symitar Education Resources (sharepoint.com)

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About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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