Ain’t!

I’m going to get right to the point with this title. “Ain’t” is a US English colloquialism that has found its way into Webster’s dictionary. It is slang and until today…I thought it was short for “am not”…”I ain’t going to do that.”

This will be a fragmented story, but I promise to get to the point…eventually.

I am not multi-lingual. Oh…I know enough of several languages to order food, find the bus station, and prevent a face slap, but sadly, I am not multi-lingual. What I am is fascinated with the beauty and depth of the English language and strive to use it fully and properly. Yes, I may be a bit of a snob, but I have little patience for shortcuts in language. “Ain’t” however seems to be a highly energy efficient substitute for a variety of contractions in the English language.

I am helping my sister-in-law redecorate her home. Painting, flooring, color selection, etc. Today we picked colors for her kitchen and breakfast nook (after looking at HUNDREDS of color swatches). The task was simple. One gallon each of two custom blended colors…no problem. We went to a local big-box home improvement store and headed for the paint counter. The woman behind the counter was gruff and seemed to believe that customer service was a “necessary evil”…another story. I showed her the swatches we wanted matched and what type of paint we wanted.

In the course of a 3 three minute conversation she expressed her concerns over paint colors, paint type, decorating ideas, and the necklace my sister-in law was wearing, and in the context of the conversation, she used “ain’t” in place of, will not, have not, is not, am not, and are not.

I concede. If we find a single replacement in our language that consolidates five or more other expressions…who am I to argue?

I’m just saying