Welcome to Gaia! ::

Gaian Grammar Guild

Back to Guilds

The Gaian Grammar Guild is a refuge for the literate, a place for them to post and read posts without worrying about the nonsensical ones. 

Tags: grammar, literate, english, language 

Reply Gaian Grammar Guild
"Ain't" ain't a word, or is it? Goto Page: 1 2 3 4 [>] [»|]

Quick Reply

Enter both words below, separated by a space:

Can't read the text? Click here

Submit

Is "aint" a correct word?
Yes. Its been around since 1778.
37%
 37%  [ 30 ]
No. Its a vulgarity. Using it shows ignorance and lack of grammar.
27%
 27%  [ 22 ]
I dont have enough information to make a good decision.
35%
 35%  [ 28 ]
Total Votes : 80


Ame Yuki Kaze

Clean Seeker

4,100 Points
  • Hygienic 200
  • Wall Street 200
  • Signature Look 250
PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:32 pm


[ Message temporarily off-line ]
PostPosted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 12:54 pm


I use it, and if you can spell, then it's a word in my book.

Daemon_King


Mizufusion

Newbie Noob

10,100 Points
  • Partygoer 500
  • Happy 13th, Gaia Online! 50
  • Happy Birthday! 100
PostPosted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:45 pm


I like to use "ain't" sometimes, but I shy away from it in formal writing, because so many people think of it as slang. Then again, I try to avoid using contractions in formal writing anyway. Whether or not they are correct, they still have a tendancy to make you sound uneducated or lazy in such a setting.
PostPosted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:19 pm


It's a word (this is a mini belief of mine) if it's in the dictionary.

~prize_in_the_box~


DarkElf27

Familiar Guildsman

11,250 Points
  • Guildmember 100
  • Perfect Attendance 400
  • Elocutionist 200
PostPosted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 3:57 pm


I use it if I'm trying to imply an accent, but not as an actual word.
PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 5:09 pm


I use it and see nothing wrong with it. It is in the written dictionary as well, and the net; it doesn't sound bad, so hey! May as well go with it, who cares if a few people don't like it? Screwem'.

DrunkenMonkey89


Zealot of Insanity

PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 7:40 pm


I try not to use it.
PostPosted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 3:44 am


I bearly ever use it because I never have had to use. except mabye on msn but that is besides the point.

[^Blazing-Fire^]


LunchRush

PostPosted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:36 pm


I wouldn't call it a word. As you have said, other words, such as "don't" were accepted as words during the same time period. However, "isn't/aren't" was also one of them. It was considered a word as well, and it means the exact same thing. This is why I don't consider it a word.
PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 3:25 pm


It is indeed a word. It's a slang word, but that doesn't make it any less a word. I mean, I wouldn't use it in formal writing, but it ain't bad in a less formal setting. I don't think using it a lot is a good plan, but when used sparingly it can add spice.

Emerald_Jasmine


[-T h e a t r e.G e e k-]

PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 8:05 pm


Well, I am a literate southern girl and I see nothing wrong with the word ain't at all. I use it quite often.
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:29 am


I asked my reading teacher and she said the dictionary isn't really used for proper words.
It is for words.Every word thats consistantly said is in the dictionary.
She also gave an example, A chinese person who is learning english and is around people who don't say 'ain't' simply doesn't need to know what ain't means. Then let say that she is around people who say ain't and hears it.
She doesn't want to ask, thinking she might be thought stupid, so she looked in the dictionary and looked it up.

This is what she says, I think once a sound is said its a word. sweatdrop

Pish-Posh


Mav_X

Tipsy Hunter

2,450 Points
  • Tipsy 100
  • Popular Thread 100
  • Forum Regular 100
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:08 pm


Jasmine Landers
Well, I am a literate southern girl and I see nothing wrong with the word ain't at all. I use it quite often.


That's my view as well. I'm from the south as well, Georgia to be exact, and I use the words "ain't" and "y'all" all the time. It's simply part of our dialect. Both are in the Webster's dictionary anyway. I do, however, believe that those words should be reserved for speech and I never use them in writing (except for when I'm sending emails).
PostPosted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 8:52 pm


Pish-Posh
I asked my reading teacher and she said the dictionary isn't really used for proper words.
It is for words.Every word thats consistantly said is in the dictionary.
She also gave an example, A chinese person who is learning english and is around people who don't say 'ain't' simply doesn't need to know what ain't means. Then let say that she is around people who say ain't and hears it.
She doesn't want to ask, thinking she might be thought stupid, so she looked in the dictionary and looked it up.

This is what she says, I think once a sound is said its a word. sweatdrop

The Russian Azboka, or alphabet, has some letter made from the Russains grunts or groans.

Daemon_King


Janet Vice- I mean Weiss

PostPosted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 3:34 pm


I think it would be considered 'slang'. Just not a proper conjunction (Is that the right word? I can't even remember- HS was 9 years ago.)
Reply
Gaian Grammar Guild

Goto Page: 1 2 3 4 [>] [»|]
 
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum