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Grammar Geek
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396586
Wed, 25 Jul 07 06:35 PM
I'm more familiar with it meaning simply "I am" but as the others have said, it can also mean "I am going to." Since it is obviously not standard English, you shouldn't worry too much about it. While you might hear it, you should never see it written down except as dialogue or song lyrics, etc.
In your example, it simply means "I'm going home."
Joined on
Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member
19,508
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
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CalifJim
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396693
Wed, 25 Jul 07 09:33 PM
In older English it was more common to place a- before an -ing form (often reduced to -in').
This pattern is retained in some non-standard varieties of present-day
English -- to some extent in rural America, for example -- though the
pattern has nearly died out, I think, by now.
They were a-dancin' and a-singin' till all hours of the night.
I am a-going thus becomes Imma going.
CJ
Joined on
Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member
22,128
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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Kooyeen
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396725
Wed, 25 Jul 07 10:35 PM
Hi, I think "Immuna" is very common and means "I'm gonna", "I'm going to". Not sure about "I'ma" or "I'mma". I mean, I'm sure it means "I'm going to" when followed by a verb, but I think I was once told it sounds pretty African American. African Americans use that a lot, but I'm not sure white people use that too.
Joined on
Thu, Dec 22 2005
Italy
Senior Member
4,936
Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts
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CalifJim
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396828
Thu, 26 Jul 07 04:18 AM
| I'm not sure white people use that too. |
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Yes. Both.
CJ
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Anonymous,
2 yr 81 days ago
Hi all,
I just wanna say that your answer is probably right. I know it means like dat and once I've known dat it means an article a as a contraction of course , for example I'ma murder weapon. but when use it as 'will' or 'gonna' we make double M, I'mma you see the difference , it's not really dat big difference but nice to know and all of these contractions came from rap music. So, you have to search more and see what does it mean in other ways like I'mma gonna do dat. You know in rap they say I done did dat and this is the difference between SE and BE. SO I hope dat will give ya a view and thank you all.
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Grammar Geek
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406888
Mon, 20 Aug 07 04:37 PM
Hello Anon,
What is "SE"?
I assume you know the word "dat" should be "that" and you are writing that way for a good reason. But because this is a forum for people learning English, it's really quite helpful if you stuck to standard spellings. I also wouldn't use any song lyrics as the basis for understanding grammar. Whether it's "I done did dat" or "Baby you and me got a groovy kind of love" there are grammatical errors everywhere.
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Anonymous,
1 yr 291 days ago
I think it's equal to 'I might' or 'I'm gonna', but I am not sure.
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Delmobile
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467471
Tue, 22 Jan 08 04:16 PM
As in Clive's colorful example, it definitely indicates the future, and usually the immediate future at that. Perhaps a better translation would be "I'm about to." And I believe it's more usually paired with --- is it simple present? -- than the gerund, although nobody's exactly counting syllables. I'm a go home now. I'm a buy me a new coat. I'm a slap you upside your head... etc.
Joined on
Wed, Jan 2 2008
Contributing Member
1,017
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