The word "ain't"

[johnnymk]

It's usually used by people of low IQ. But when you think about it, "I am not" doesn't have an alternative shortened phrase, except for "I'm not" which can sound dumb in a few situations.

"I will not" has "I won't"; "I can not" has "I can't"; "I could not" has "I couldn't" and so on.

Now, "She ain't too smart" is trailer trash talk, since there is an alternative. And so is "They ain't goin' to my wedding".

Think about it...It may not be as low life as it seems.:heh:

[ray]

I ain't no rocket scientist or nothing but I think you're wrong

[starkiis]

good one got me thinking for a minute:|

[baseballbob]

"I am not" =Iamn't, not ain't-so maybe we can start a new "unacceptable" word

[Markel]

Seeing this thread title right next to the one on proper Latin usage struck me as being kind of ironic. :heh:

That is all. Carry on.

[LegendKiller]

I cannot stand that "word", I usually use it when mocking others.

[cadetevon]

I'm not a fan of ain't, but I've been known to use it. Mostly to place stress upon certain ideas or subjects...and only in an informal (usually drunk) setting.

[Markel]

"Tell me it ain't so!"

[RoniMan]

"I am not" =Iamn't

I thought that was our abbreviation for Ialsohaveadream...what? :shrug:

my history teacher used to dock points from our grades if we used the words "aint" and "get" in any of our work.

[molecularfire]

I don't care if people consider it low brow or not, I use the word ain't when it is appropriate. IMO, the point of conversation is to communicate... to get an idea across to another person, NOT to make yourself feel superior by excluding others. When I use the word ain't, people know what that word means, so I use it.

[Burzhui]

I ain't no rocket scientist or nothing but I think you're wrong


pfft it's rocket doctor, Doctor! :D

[MikeD]

It's usually used by people of low IQ.

That's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

Using a certain word correlates to low IQ? :eek3:

FWIW, I think you meant "low intelligence". IQ speaks to the person's ability to learn, not their intelligence level. And that ain't nothin' but the truth.

[WhiskeyPapa]

"Ain't" has a place in our language. I don't use it in everyday language, but will use it occasionally when the idea I'm communicating needs to have an informal emphasis.

[DarkFury]

It's usually used by people of low IQ. But when you think about it, "I am not" doesn't have an alternative shortened phrase, except for "I'm not" which can sound dumb in a few situations.

"I will not" has "I won't"; "I can not" has "I can't"; "I could not" has "I couldn't" and so on.

Now, "She ain't too smart" is trailer trash talk, since there is an alternative. And so is "They ain't goin' to my wedding".

Think about it...It may not be as low life as it seems.:heh:
Well, "ain't" probably originated in the Deep South... and not necessarily the trailer park. It's firmly rooted in Southern dialect... and from there it has become widely adopted by other regional slang/dialects.

Folks in the "Da' Hood" use the word ain't... so it's not just a "trailer park phenomina".





So I guess I ain't agreeing with the assertion made above huh? :heh:

[mcs328]

Well ain't that somethin' but nobody ax' me for nothin' anyways.

[hapoo]

pfft it's rocket doctor, Doctor! :D


you mean rocket surgeon? or brain scientist?

[DaFunkyUnit]

either you's is or you's ain't my baaaaaaaby!!! :sing:

[DarkFury]

either you's is or you's ain't my baaaaaaaby!!! :sing:

I always thought that went...

"Is you is... or is you ain't... my baaaaaby!!!" :sing:

[LPMiller]

I use ain't all the time. My IQ ain't small. I use it because language is supposed to be a tool for the user, not the other way around. Language naturally evolves, and it's really only in the last 100 years that people keep trying to 'freeze' it in place, which I personally think is unnatural.

[DaFunkyUnit]

I always thought that went...

"Is you is... or is you ain't... my baaaaaby!!!" :sing:

You are correct, sir! :cool:

[ray]

:sing:

Listen, baby
Ain't no mountain high
Ain't no valley low
Ain't no river wide enough, baby

If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name
I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry

'Cause baby,
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

Remember the day
I set you free
I told you
You could always count on me
From that day on I made a vow
I'll be there when you want me
Some way,some how

'Cause baby,
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

No wind, no rain

My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I'll be there on the double
As fast as I can

Don't you know that
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

Don't you know that
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough

[oblongmelon]

:sing:

Listen, baby
Ain't no mountain high
Ain't no valley low
Ain't no river wide enough, baby

If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name
I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry

'Cause baby,
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

Remember the day
I set you free
I told you
You could always count on me
From that day on I made a vow
I'll be there when you want me
Some way,some how

'Cause baby,
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

No wind, no rain

My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I'll be there on the double
As fast as I can

Don't you know that
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

Don't you know that
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough


I want this played at my funeral..this, and Freebird..LOL

[jstreet]

In his press conference last night, President Bush said he could not remember a single mistake he had made in the last two years. The president's exact quote was: "I ain't make none mistakes ever."

—friend, attributed apparently to Conan O'Brien

[Maarchk]

I think its all relative diction. It is slang and probably less used in proper circles because people look at you as "low class". But out in cali, we ask "what it do?" and all kinds of enjoyable quality terms. Its not a proper word and thus shouldn't be used in proper written papers, but for a person to use it, that seems ok. but i think its all context. I would never use ain't in a job interview...

[VTGreg]

I find the use of ain't much less irritating than the use of irregardless. At least ain't serves a purpose.

[Houdini]

I find the use of ain't much less irritating than the use of irregardless. At least ain't serves a purpose.

:stupid:

There are many words that annoy me MUCH more than "ain't." As I understand it, it evolved from the early American "amn't," and was once prevalent throughout much of the Northeast and South. As immigrants arrived in the Northeast, bringing other languages, accents, customs, etc., our American dialect changed a lot (otherwise we'd sound like Brits), but as immigration wasn't as strong in the South, remnants of early American and British accents and words remained. It's kind of how people in Virginia sound like Southerners, except when they pronounce "ou" as in "about" - it sounds like a mixture of the Canadian and southern British pronunciations. Very weird.

And about the IQ thing. IQ has no correlation to picked word vocabulary. I'm a pretty sharp guy, I think, but sometimes I just can't come up with the right word at the right time for the right situation. If I use a different word, or, let's say one that sounds "pretentious," would that make me smarter or dumber, for not thinking of the perfect word immediately? IQ mainly correlates to an ability to take IQ tests well. :)

So, do I think that "ain't" has a reason for existing? Sure. Do I use it? Usually only in jest. But words like "irregardless" and "conversate" and even adjectives like "more unique" or "very unique" annoy me MUCH more.

[VTGreg]

But words like "irregardless" and "conversate" and even adjectives like "more unique" or "very unique" annoy me MUCH more.

I'm in complete "agreeance".

[johnnymk]

I apologize for the comment concerning "low IQ".

I should have stated "high inbreeding" :naughty:

[molecularfire]

IQ mainly correlates to an ability to take IQ tests well.
:stupid: Last time I took a real IQ test (not those 10 question on-line tests but a real IQ test), my IQ was measured at 85... I don't take IQ tests anymore.

[Yossarian]

you mean rocket surgeon? or brain scientist?
tree surgeon

[Houdini]

There is three errers in this sentence.

-H

[Nija]

T'aint nothing good down there...

hu hu taint...