Chapter 3

Contractions

Whatever may be said against employing contractions in dignified discourse, their use in colloquial speech is too firmly established to justify our censure. But, in their use, as, indeed, in the use of all words, proper discrimination must be shown.

Just why _haven’t, hasn’t, doesn’t, isn’t, wasn’t,_ are regarded as being in good repute, and _ain’t, weren’t, mightn’t, oughtn’t,_ are regarded with less favor, and why _shalln’t, willn’t_ are absolutely excluded, it would be difficult to explain.

_Use determines the law of language,_ whether for single words, grammatical forms, or grammatical constructions. Wherever a people, by common consent, employ a particular word to mean a certain thing, that word becomes an inherent part of the language of that people, whether it has any basis in etymology or not. We must not wrest this law to our own convenience, however, by assuming that such words and phrases as are introduced and employed by the illiterate, or even by the educated, within a circumscribed territory, are, therefore, to be regarded as reputable words. The sanction of all classes, the educated as well as the uneducated, throughout the entire country in which the language is spoken, is necessary and preliminary to the proper introduction of a new word into the language.

Ain’t

This word is a contraction of _am_ _not_ or _are not, _and can, therefore, be used only with the singular pronouns _I_ and _you_, and with the plural pronouns _we, you,_ and _they,_ and with nouns in the plural.

I _am not_ pleased. I _ain’t_ pleased.

You _are not_ kind. You _ain’t_ kind.

They _are not_ gentlemen. They _ain’t_ gentlemen.

These sentences will serve to illustrate the proper use of _ain’t,_ if it is ever proper to use such an inelegant word as that. “James _ain’t_ a good student,” “Mary _ain’t_ a skillful musician,” or “This orange _ain’t_ sweet,” are expressions frequently heard, yet those who use them would be shocked to hear the same expressions with the proper equivalent _am not_ or _are not_ substituted for the misleading _ain’t._

The expression _ain’t_ is compounded of the verb _am_ or _are_ and the adverb _not,_ and by the contraction the three vocal impulses _I-am-not,_ or _you-are-not,_ or _they-are-not,_ are reduced to two. By compounding the pronoun with the verb and preserving the full adverb, as in “_I’m not,” “You’re not,”_ “_They’re not,”_ we also reduce the three vocal impulses to two, thus securing as short a contraction in sound and one that is as fully adapted to colloquial speech, and that is, at the same time, in much better taste.

The old form for _ain’t_ was _an’t,_ but this has now become obsolete. It will be a blessing to the English-speaking people when the descendant shall sleep with his father.

_Are not_ is sometimes contracted into _aren’t,_ but this form has not found much favor.

Can’t and Couldn’t

As _cannot_ and _could not_ may be used with pronouns of the first, second, or third person, in either number, and with nouns in both numbers, no error is likely to follow the use of their contracted forms.

Why _cannot_ is properly written as one word, and _could not _requires two, is not founded upon any principle of philosophy. The concurrent sanction of all classes in all parts of the English-speaking world establishes it as law.

Observe that the _a_ in the verb _can’t_ is broader in sound than the _short a_ in the noun _cant._

Don’t and Didn’t

_Don’t_ is a contraction of _do not._ It is in very general use and in good repute. It may be employed wherever the expanded expression _do not_ could be applied, and only there.

“One swallow _don’t_ make a spring” is equivalent to saying, “One swallow _do not_ make a spring.” We may say “_I don’t,” “You don’t,” “We don’t,” “They don’t,” “The men_ (or _birds,_ or _trees) don’t,”_ but we must use _doesn’t_ with _he,_ or _she,_ or _it,_ or _the man, the grove, the cloud,_ etc.

Unlike the verb _do_, its past tense form _did_ undergoes no change in conjugation, hence the contraction _didn’t_ is also uniform.

Haven’t, Hasn’t, and Hadn’t

The verb _have,_ like the verb _do,_ has a distinct form for the third person singular. The same change affects the contraction. I _haven’t,_ you _haven’t,_ he _hasn’t._ The construction _hadn’t_ undergoes no change.

Haint, Taint

_Haint_ is used indiscriminately for _haven’t_ and _hasn’t. Taint_ is used for _tisn’t._ Their use is indicative of an entire lack of culture.

Isn’t

No one need hesitate to use this word. It is smooth in utterance and contributes much to the freedom and ease of social intercourse. Its equivalent is too stately for colloquial forms of speech, and is often suggestive of pedantry. Compare _“Isn’t_ he an eloquent speaker?” “_Isn’t_ this a beautiful flower?” with _“Is not_ he an eloquent speaker?” “_Is_ this _not_ a beautiful flower?”

Wasn’t

Although not so elegant as the present tense form _isn’t,_ yet the contraction _wasn’t_ is in excellent repute. It is properly used only in the first and third persons singular. No one who makes any pretension to culture would be guilty of saying” You _was_ my neighbor, but you _wasn’t_ my friend,” “We _was_ engaged in trade, and they _wasn’t _of any use to us.” Say we _were_ or _were not,_ but never _wasn’t_ or _wa’nt._

Weren’t

The forms _aren’t,_ and _weren’t_ do not have the sanction of the best speakers and writers, and should be used sparingly, if at all.

Shouldn’t and Wouldn’t

These are frequently used in speech, but are not so common in writing.

Mustn’t, Mayn’t, Mightn’t, and Oughtn’t

_Mustn’t_ may be used in light conversation, but not in writing. The others should be avoided in speech and writing.

I’m, You’re, He’s, She’s, It’s, We’re, They’re

The contractions formed by compounding the pronoun with the verb are very common, and tend to preserve conversation from becoming stiff and formal. Nouns in the singular are sometimes compounded in like manner; as, “John’s going by the early train,” “Mary’s caught a bird.” Not many verbs beside _is_ and _has_ are thus compounded, and the practice should be discouraged.

Mayst, Mightst

Although _mayst, canst, mightst, couldst, wouldst,_ and _shouldst_ are contracted forms, the apostrophe is not employed to indicate the contraction.

Daren’t, Dursent

_Dare not_ is sometimes contracted to _daren’t_ and _durst not_ to_ dursent,_ but the practice should not be encouraged.

Let’s

While verbs are often contracted when compounded with pronouns, as _it’s, he’s, I’m, you’re,_ etc., the pronoun must not be contracted to form a combination with the verb. It may be a poor rule, but it will not work both ways. _Let’s_ should therefore be _let us._