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Why do we say "ain't I" or "aren't I" instead of "amn't I"? What's the history of this usage? Are there any other similar patterns in English?

I'm guessing it has something to do with the dispreference of two consecutive nasal consonants, but a more authoritative answer would be great.

grautur
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    http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ain't – z7sg Ѫ Jun 09 '11 at 21:08
  • @z7sg Are you suggesting it's "General Reference"? Because if that simple search explains it, then it is, in my opinion. – Alenanno Jun 09 '11 at 21:15
  • @Ale No I don't think it is general reference but I think the 'similar patterns' part is too wide a scope. I am surprised nobody has asked about "ain't" before, it's an interesting question. The wiktionary is a good starting point. – z7sg Ѫ Jun 09 '11 at 21:19
  • What does "General Reference" mean? Is that a tag or a suggestion to close? @z7sg: by "similar patterns", I meant other cases where an English word with two consecutive nasal sounds evolved into another word -- why is this too wide a scope? – grautur Jun 09 '11 at 22:34
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    @grautur: General Refence is a close-vote reason, which states: "This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information." – Alenanno Jun 09 '11 at 22:35
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    Amn't is a contraction of am not that is used in Scottish Irish. It's then used, but it's not largely used. – apaderno Jun 10 '11 at 00:04
  • In any case, one reason why I'm not satisfied with the Wiktionary link is that... it doesn't really tell me anything! All it's basically saying is that am not contracted to an't (instead of amn't, for whatever reason), and then an't became ain't and aren't (...and I already knew that these are the modern contractions of am not). Why these particular contractions? Is the first an instance of the Great Vowel Shift? Is the latter due to rhoticization? – grautur Jun 10 '11 at 00:38
  • I've heard amn't occasionally but only in a particular ditty: "Gee, amn't I lucky/haven't got a face like yours, brother". – Brian Hooper Oct 22 '11 at 13:11
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    You should try going to the Black Country (English West Midlands) where, in certain dialects amn't is alive and well as well as y'am to mean "you are" and many other exciting uses the verb "to be" - very confusing to an outsider! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:If_yowm_saft_enuff.jpg – Matt Jan 05 '12 at 10:40
  • Gotta am in Black Country sometime. – Kris Jan 05 '12 at 11:18
  • Some of the old-timers among non-native English speakers weren't even aware of aren't I/ amn't I until recently. It has always been am I not. – Kris Jan 05 '12 at 11:20
  • Both are correct, but the usage of aren't I is wider than the usage of amn't I. Also, amn't I is mostly used in Scotland/Northern Ireland. For more information, read this article from World Wide Words. – Apoorva Jan 05 '12 at 09:14

3 Answers3

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Here’s the relevant extract from ‘The Cambridge Guide to English Usage’:

Historically speaking, both ain’t and aren’t are probably descended from an’t, recorded during the late C17 as the regular contraction. Sound changes of the C18 affected the pronunciation of the vowel "a" before nasal consonants, raising it in some dialects, and lowering and retracting it in others. While ain’t is a product of the first process, aren’t represents the second in terms of British (r-less) pronunciation – though not in general American. If only an’t was still available, it would avoid the grammatical discomfort and provide a nonstigmatized alternative to ain’t.

Barrie England
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The NOAD has a note about using aren't, and amn't:

The contraction aren't is used in standard English to mean "am not" in questions, as in "I'm right, aren't I?" Outside of questions, it is incorrect to use aren't to mean "am not" (for example, "I aren't going" is clearly wrong). The nonstandard (although logical) form amn't is restricted to Scottish, Irish, and dialect use.

apaderno
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The reason for this pronunciation is due to the accent of the people from which it originated from, the Cockney accent:

1706, originally a contraction of am not, and in proper use with that sense until it began to be used as a generic contraction for are not, is not, etc., in early 19c. Cockney dialect of London

It was actually originally amn't, as can be seen here:

Origin: 1770–80; variant of amn't (contraction of am not ) by loss of m and raising with compensatory lengthening of "a"

The reason it is in popular usage today can be seen in this excerpt:

popularized by representations of this in Dickens, etc., which led to the word being banished from correct English.

"Ain't" is used because it is more popular, and also, it is easier to pronounce.

Thursagen
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