aint!

[Scarlett]

Since "AINT" is slang, does it have an apostrophe or not? If it is "Ain't", and the apostrophe is substituting an "o" for "not", what is the abbreviation? Am not?

[Clanad]

It's strange how words derive, become useful, have a recognized meaning by most everyone in that language group, yet are never really acceptable, especially in 'polite society'.  Ain't is deffinitely one of those words.  It is a contracted form of `are not.' It is also used for `am not' and `is not.' It was characteristic of working class London speech (and now of rural American speech) and was also used at one time in upper class (posh) British speech. It is recorded from 1778. It has also been used, since 1845, to mean `have not' and `has not.'  It's always spelled, when used in written form, with an apostrophe. My guess is, that it has never received recognition and acceptability simply because of it's origin... Ain't that strange?

[Quizmonster]

Strangely enough, the more usual British abbreviation of 'am not' is 'aren't', as in "I'm a clever boy, aren't I?"
"I'm a clever boy, ain't I?" might be common enough in London, but the 'aren't' version is probably more widespread elsewhere...certainly in more upper class speech.

[littleoldme]

That raises an interesting point, QM. While 'am not' is indeed often contracted to 'aren't' in a question (as in your "aren't' I?" example), in a non-interrogative statement the contraction is between the 'I' and the 'am', rather than the 'am' and the 'not', producing 'I'm not', rather than 'I aren't'. Yet another vagary of this wonderful crazy old language :-)