Amn't I?

GizAGoOfYerGee

Today, an American corrected me for saying "Amn't I?", as it is "bad English", apparently.

I pondered for a second and then told the American to feck off as "amn't" is in common usage in Ireland. Just as "Y'all" and "Ain't" are in use in America. And yes, I have heard this American saying "Y'all" before. Feckin' hypocrite!

Anyway, I'm right, amn't I? I know it should be "aren't", but from time to time, I say "amn't".

Does any one here say "amn't"? Maybe I'm just old.

And FECK the crisis. This is a very important issue!

Wiki wrote:

Amn't is a standard contraction of am not in some dialects of mainly Hiberno-English and Scottish English. It is formed in the same manner as other negative contractions: the negative particle not reduces to n't, a clitic or suffix which fuses to the preceding verb form am.[11][12]

In Hiberno-English the question form ("amn't I?") is frequently used, while the declarative form ("I amn't")[10] is less frequent. The Standard English form "I'm not" is available as an alternative to "I amn't" in both Scottish English and Hiberno-English. In Scots and Scottish English, amn't is generally used only when inverted as a question (i.e. "amn't I?"), often a tag question.

Yakult

"Aren't I" man here.

Does it really matter?

cc-offe

Another amn't I user here
My personal worst would be betteren't I and betteren't I not.....have no idea where I got them from

ya-ba-da-ba-doo

GizAGoOfYerGee wrote: »

Today, an American corrected me for saying "Amn't I?", as it is "bad English", apparently.

I pondered for a second and then told the American to feck off as "amn't" is in common usage in Ireland. Just as "Y'all" and "Ain't" are in use in America. And yes, I have heard this American saying "Y'all" before. Feckin' hypocrite!

Anyway, I'm right, amn't I? I know it should be "aren't", but from time to time, I say "amn't".

Does any one here say "amn't"? Maybe I'm just old.

And FECK the crisis. This is a very important issue!

Aren't = Are not

Amn't = Am not







Correct word for "amn't" is "ain't" but that's not really used over here.

I say amn't all the time!

PanchoVilla

I amn't doing anything.
I am not doing anything.

Ok, that's fair enough but it'd be better to say "I'm not doing anything.

I'm right, amn't I?
I'm right, am not I?

"Amn't I" just doesn't work. It's be more like amIn't which is just stupid. "Y'all" is acceptable because it's short for you all. "Ain't" is just weird and not sure where it came from.

Edit: Ok, so "aren't I" wouldn't really work either with that example but it just sounds better that "amn't I".

randylonghorn

ya-ba-da-ba-doo wrote: »

Correct word for "amn't" is "ain't" but that's not really used over here.

Neither are actually correct! >.<

larchielads

my friend from mayo is adamant the term is amn't i as it means am i not as in im going too am i not? (amn't)

now i always say aren't i, but it sounds wrong when you say it like this im going too are not i cos(aren't i) thats essentially what your saying:pac:

so to sum up amn't i sounds wrong but is correct and aren't i sounds right but is incorrect.........................i think

she's always right ,dont tell her i said that:D

Mahatma coat

cc-offe wrote: »

Another amn't I user here
My personal worst would be betteren't I and betteren't I not.....have no idea where I got them from

I always just presumed they had snuck in From the Gaelige -Tá'm- or some sort of hangeron from the Modh Coinniolach

PanchoVilla

Amn't is a standard contraction of am not in some dialects of mainly Hiberno-English and Scottish English. It is formed in the same manner as other negative contractions: the negative particle not reduces to n't, a clitic or suffix which fuses to the preceding verb form am.

In Hiberno-English the question form ("amn't I?") is frequently used, while the declarative form ("I amn't") is less frequent. The Standard English form "I'm not" is available as an alternative to "I amn't" in both Scottish English and Hiberno-English. In Scots and Scottish English, amn't is generally used only when inverted as a question (i.e. "amn't I?"), often a tag question.

There is no undisputed standard equivalent of "amn't I": "am I not", "aren't I", and "ain't I" may respectively be considered stilted, affected, and substandard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contractions_of_negated_auxiliary_verbs_in_English#Amn.27t

Ain't is a colloquialism and contraction for "am not", "is not", "are not", "has not", and "have not" in the common vernacular. In some dialects ain't is also used as a contraction of "do not", "does not", and "did not". The usage of ain't is a perennial issue in English. Widely used by many people, its use is nevertheless commonly considered to be improper.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contractions_of_negated_auxiliary_verbs_in_English#Ain.27t

"Ain't" is more versatile than "amn't".

alwaysadub

I say 'amn't' a fair bit. "I amn't going out tonight" Never really thought about it much to be honest

The Master

GizAGoOfYerGee wrote: »

Today, an American corrected me for saying "Amn't I?", as it is "bad English", apparently.

An American correcting bad English?

1) Ask him to say Soldering and Aluminium out loud
2) Laugh
3) Profit*




*There may be no profit

Originally Posted by Wiki
Amn't is a standard contraction of am not in some dialects of mainly Hiberno-English and Scottish English. It is formed in the same manner as other negative contractions: the negative particle not reduces to n't, a clitic or suffix which fuses to the preceding verb form am.

I found the clit!

Amn't I observant

WindSock

It didn't bad English, it's a perfectly acceptable wordmash unique to here.

Jesus Wept

He's a tool.

bluenose1956

Not sure of his name, but the man who owns the Korky's shoe shop chain said amn't on BBC World yesterday, so it must be right.

kincsem

randylonghorn wrote: »

Neither are actually correct! >.<

Neither are actually is correct!

mfceiling

Search youtube for someone who has a decent grab of the english language - david norris, stephen fry, will self etc

Do any of these people use amn't i..........case closed

Son Of A Vidic

Fcuk! That Yank has little to worry about.

"Amn't" person here. I would only ever start taking advice on English from an American when they learn how to spell colour, yoghurt, doughnut and the like correctly.

I use it now and then, but I would never consider it good English.

Edit: Ok, so "aren't I" wouldn't really work either with that example but it just sounds better that "amn't I".

Now try expanding "don't" in a normal sentence

Kimono-Girl

just call him a grammar nazi!

Paparazzo

Anyone who corrects someones English in normal conversion is a tosser. Point him towards this post so he knows it

mike65

Is you is or is you ain't my amn't.

randylonghorn

kincsem wrote: »

Neither are actually is correct!

True!

The result of insomniac posting in the dead hours of night! :rolleyes:

Paparazzo wrote: »

Anyone who corrects someones English in normal conversion is a tosser.

Yep.

Chuchoter

They come from a country that jumped into proper spelling and took out all the hard parts (like the u in colour! Or spelling dreamt as dreamed):mad:
They have no say in grammatical matters.

mikom

The phrase "Amn't I" has been around longer than the USA.
Tell him to swivel.

Killer Pigeon

"Amn't I?" is like the short way to say "Am not I?", which used in this context is grammatically incorrect. "Aren't I?" or "Are I not", is also incorrect because you're referring to yourself in the plural. "Isn't I?" or "Is I not" funnily enough is actually a little more (but not totally) correct than "Aren't I".

"Ain't I?" or "Am I not?" (here the 'm' is dropped) is correct in terms of its consideration of syntax. "Y'all" is also syntactically correct as it basically just mean "You all".

partyatmygaff

"Amn't I?" is "Am not I?" without the contraction. Technically speaking that's not proper English and it seems archaic. The correct phrasing would be "Am I not?". Generally speaking you shouldn't use amn't or ain't when you're asking a question with a verb inversion.
I.e.
Amn't I? - Wrong
I amn't? - Right

Holybejaysus

kincsem wrote: »

Neither are actually is correct!

I say, old chap, would you mind telling me how you perform that strike though effect? Thanks awfully. Toodle pip, tip of the hat etc....

randylonghorn

[NoParse][/NoParse] each side of what you want to be crossed out ...

Johro

GizAGoOfYerGee wrote: »

Today, an American corrected me for saying "Amn't I?", as it is "bad English", apparently.

He should've said 'Don't be doin' da'.

Biggins

GizAGoOfYerGee wrote: »

Today, an American corrected me for saying "Amn't I?", as it is "bad English", apparently.

I pondered for a second and then told the American to feck off as "amn't" is in common usage in Ireland. Just as "Y'all" and "Ain't" are in use in America. And yes, I have heard this American saying "Y'all" before. Feckin' hypocrite!

Anyway, I'm right, amn't I? I know it should be "aren't", but from time to time, I say "amn't".
Does any one here say "amn't"? Maybe I'm just old.
And FECK the crisis. This is a very important issue!

I would have told them to feck off - if only for one reason alone.
They should learn the meaning of english too!

When they say "Mission accomplished" - it should actually mean it and not just "We are attempting to leave behind a hell of a mess while we scamper home with our tails between our legs!"

They can't afford to give out about wording at all, at all!!!

Johro

F#ck 'em. They say 'To boldly go..'
To split infinity and beyond.

johnnyskeleton

GizAGoOfYerGee wrote: »

Today, an American corrected me for saying "Amn't I?", as it is "bad English", apparently.

I pondered for a second and then told the American to feck off as "amn't" is in common usage in Ireland. Just as "Y'all" and "Ain't" are in use in America. And yes, I have heard this American saying "Y'all" before. Feckin' hypocrite!

Anyway, I'm right, amn't I? I know it should be "aren't", but from time to time, I say "amn't".

Does any one here say "amn't"? Maybe I'm just old.

And FECK the crisis. This is a very important issue!

I suppose the problem comes, not from the contraction, but from the way "Am not I" is incorrect word order in modern English and is somewhat of an anacronism. "Am I not" is the modern word order so the contraction implies the older word order. I suppose if you put it like this:

"I do not like cheese" or "I don't like cheese" are both correct word order so there is no problem with the contraction.

Having said all that, I use "Amn't" in conversation but I would never use it, nor "Am not I" in writing.

Scuid Mhór

i use both and an american called me out for using 'amn't i' and i just didn't know what to do.

Killer Pigeon

Americans, they always think that they're smarter than everyone else ... and they kinda are.

Biggins

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Americans, they always think that they're smarter than everyone else ... and they kinda are.

Aaa no.
Not any worse, just not any better.

e2e

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In addition

As you've seen this is my first post on this forum.
My English isn't as good as yours but I hope you will get used to it.:)

Here is my question.

I've read that "amnae" is equal to "am not" as well.
Would you explain it for me.
And gimme an example please!

Thanks

Larianne

That's scottish speak there.

AntiMatter

e2e wrote: »

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In addition

As you've seen this is my first post on this forum.
My English isn't as good as yours but I hope you will get used to it.:)

Here is my question.

I've read that "amnae" is equal to "am not" as well.
Would you explain it for me.
And gimme an example please!

Thanks

I think it's more Scottish than Irish.

Merry Christmas and welcome to Boards.

Novella

I have never in my life said "amn't I". I think it sounds ridiculous, sorry!

FreudianSlippers

Novella wrote: »

I have never in my life said "amn't I". I think it sounds ridiculous, sorry!

Agreed, it's a stupid thing to say.

RoyalMarine

Americans also say "I could care less" rather than saying "I couldn't care less"

Cormac2791

amn't i!! =]

BraziliaNZ

My Canadian ex-wife used to give me grief over "amn't", hehe

kowloon

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

My Canadian ex-wife used to give me grief over "amn't", hehe

Overreacting a bit, but she did need to be put in her place.

dsmythy

I say the guys who started to say come instead of cometh got some stick back in the way for not speaking right.

ashyle

The Master wrote: »

An American correcting bad English?

1) Ask him to say Soldering and Aluminium out loud
2) Laugh
3) Profit*




*There may be no profit

Americans say aluminum correctly :S http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum#Etymology

Krusader

Speak in your own dialect, 'cause all the kids nowadays are using American phrases from watching too much Nickelodeon
Keep Hiberno-English alive!!

Bogsnorkler

Crosáidí wrote: »

Speak in your own dialect, 'cause all the kids nowadays are using American phrases from watching too much Nickelodeon
Keep Hiberno-English alive!!

I says ya, chalk it down.

e2e

What about an't instead of amn't?:)