Your favorite underutilized contraction.

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I think mine is if'n.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 07:14 (twenty-three years ago)

shan't

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 07:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I like the one when you're in a big crowd and you wanna fart and then you contract and YAY big stinker avoided. (sorry)

― nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 07:18 (twenty-three years ago)

daren't

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 08:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Shouldn't've / wouldn't've / couldn't've. The double apostrophes almost look like air quotes, like you're not quite serious about that t.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 08:29 (twenty-three years ago)

dursn't

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 08:38 (twenty-three years ago)

f'rinstance.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 09:40 (twenty-three years ago)

if'n means ?

― anthony easton (anthony), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:31 (twenty-three years ago)

'em

― felicity (felicity), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:32 (twenty-three years ago)

If'n means if, but with sass.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:33 (twenty-three years ago)

if'n is an expansion surely

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, "if'n" kind of presupposes and pre-dismisses the implied "then."

― felicity (felicity), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I like people from Pennsylvania who say "y'ins" meaning "you ones".. I had a professor who said this and it was fun.

― Mandee, Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Is there a thread on your favourite second person plural? And if not, why not?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:52 (twenty-three years ago)

You could start one here.

― felicity (felicity), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 13:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Amn't. I know far too many Scots.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

From which you can form amnae. I have said, when I've meant "I am not", "uh uhmnae".

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:34 (twenty-three years ago)

shan't

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Mayn't.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:38 (twenty-three years ago)

yon't

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:43 (twenty-three years ago)

'n'

― Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:44 (twenty-three years ago)

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:45 (twenty-three years ago)

'r'

More Scots fun: disnae.

Loved when Glaswegians explain the slang etymology for something being 'Mickey Mouse' eg. shoddy: 'It's because it Disney work.'

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

taint. Either that or l'il.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

actually....

"t'is" is just so... romantic.

or am i just a sap?

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:49 (twenty-three years ago)

or does it have to be negative? shall i go now?

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:50 (twenty-three years ago)

sorry if i destroyed yr thread.

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 14:54 (twenty-three years ago)

It's most certainly a contraction, but it's spelled 'tis (it's the initial i that's been cut out).

Re. if'n: what Felicity said. I always thought if'n to be an unusual contraction of if and then.

Mr. Stencil: per OED, thre's no apostrophe, it's just lil. But today we have Lil' Kim and Lil' Bow Wow. And I've also seen your variant, li'l. Which do y'all prefer?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 15:53 (twenty-three years ago)

g'r

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 15:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I like l'il, and I'm sticking with it.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 25 February 2003 15:57 (twenty-three years ago)

I once knew a guy who had a 5 inch t'aint

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Today my favorite it: fo'c'sle.

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:48 (twenty-three years ago)

("is", not "it")

― Chris P (Chris P), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Tol'able
Pudd'nhead

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:55 (twenty-three years ago)

mains'l, too (though i'm sure it's utilized plenty by those in the know)

i think fave = warn't

as in "her age warn't nothin but a number"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:56 (twenty-three years ago)

haypth

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:57 (twenty-three years ago)

(where do the apostrophes go in haypth?)

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Hamma net (= haben wir nicht)

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 16:59 (twenty-three years ago)

If we're getting into dialect, then "baht" is a corker.

― SittingPretty (sittingpretty), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 17:09 (twenty-three years ago)

'ere meaning before

― Aaron A., Tuesday, 25 February 2003 17:12 (twenty-three years ago)

haypth = ha'p'orth (half-penny-worth)

― Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 17:14 (twenty-three years ago)

willn't

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 17:58 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.themakeupgallery.info/character/multi/bew2.jpg

fI'n you wanna feel my embrace
Don't you ever wash your face!
If'n you really care for me
Don't you comb your hair for me!
If'n you wanna leave me weak and weepy
You gotta look wild and weird and creepy!
If'n if'n if'n if'n yeah yeah yeah!

― Arthur (Arthur), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 18:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Oughtn't've... a really silly version of shouldn't've... I think mom uses that occasionally.

― Christine SH, Tuesday, 25 February 2003 18:23 (twenty-three years ago)

This one isn't underutilized in speech where I liv whatsoever, but it's way underutilized in written contexts, methinks...

y'all

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 18:28 (twenty-three years ago)

seg'd

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 18:45 (twenty-three years ago)

far too many false contractions here. *biting tongue*

― That Girl (thatgirl), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 18:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I like people from Pennsylvania who say "y'ins" meaning "you ones".. I had a professor who said this and it was fun.

In my part of the Keystone state it's y'uns

― brg30 (brg30), Tuesday, 25 February 2003 22:55 (twenty-three years ago)

three months pass...

r'vive.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:06 (twenty-three years ago)

amst.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:09 (twenty-three years ago)

shuis

― s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:11 (twenty-three years ago)

'twas 'twas, but now it's it's

― oops (Oops), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Wha’ happen’??!!

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:22 (twenty-three years ago)

bos'n

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 2 June 2003 06:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Whodathunkit obv!

Although in cockney rhyming slang style that shd read "david blunkett".

― Sarah on her way to work, Monday, 2 June 2003 07:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I use amn't and it'sn't occasionally, but just to be silly. I use y'all seriously. It is a reasonable solution to a shortcoming of english.

― Dave Fischer, Monday, 2 June 2003 12:34 (twenty-three years ago)

i'nt instead of isn't is a favourite of mine

― chris (chris), Monday, 2 June 2003 12:47 (twenty-three years ago)

a'ight

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 2 June 2003 21:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I like using 'aren't' incorrectly, eg 'I aren't going to do it.'

It's much more defiant than 'I'm not .' I borrowed it from my nephew. When he was little he would say things like 'I aren't going to bed.'

― estela (estela), Monday, 2 June 2003 21:45 (twenty-three years ago)

needn't

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Monday, 2 June 2003 23:58 (twenty-three years ago)

'ell'fino

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 00:32 (twenty-three years ago)

ent

― Lyra Silvertongue (synkro), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 00:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Zounds = contraction of 'Swounds (His [Christ's] wounds)
Goodbye = contraction of God be w' ye

― weatheringdaleson (weatheringdaleson), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 00:43 (twenty-three years ago)

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