makaay  +  928325 Sun, 04 Oct 09 09:04 PM Hello I have a question for principally AmE speakers(because this the english I'm focusing on), I know what ain't stands for and know that is bad grammar, but I would like to know is: what's the frequence that people use ain't, and you, yes you , who is answering me, do you use ain't. Ah, and I'm asking about the use in spoken, not written language. Thanks makaay Joined on Mon, Jul 27 2009 SC,Brazil New Member 45 Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	AlpheccaStars  +  928389 Sun, 04 Oct 09 10:07 PM Hi: I seldom, if ever use "ain't."  I use it only in circumstances when I am deliberately chosing to epeak in a "slang" language.  The general frequency of usage in conversation is highly dependent on the local dialect and socio-economic factors. Best regards, A-s AlpheccaStars Joined on Sun, Oct 12 2008 Senior Member 3,508 The pen is mightier than the sword. Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) Regards, Dialects, Usages, Speaking, Chat, Friendships, Conversational, Languages

	Kooyeen  +  928403 Sun, 04 Oct 09 10:18 PM I don't hear it used often by white people (unless used deliberately, for example in songs), but African Americans seem to use it more regularly in everyday informal speech, so it depends on the variety of English you want to consider. That's the impression I get, as a non-native speaker. Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,970 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts Countries, United States, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Colours, Speaking, American, Songs, Speeches, Languages, Music

	Clive  +  928414 Sun, 04 Oct 09 10:33 PM Hi, Same as Astars. Rarely or never.   Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,628 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	makaay  +  928420 Sun, 04 Oct 09 10:34 PM Thank you, now I'm relieved, I never knew if I should say it or not to look more natural. makaay

	khoff  +  928488 Sun, 04 Oct 09 11:38 PM Not unless you want to look more natural, less intelligent and less educated! khoff Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005 Senior Member 3,272 Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)

	CalifJim  +  928545 Mon, 05 Oct 09 12:40 AM makaay “what's the frequency that people use ain't, and you, yes you , who is answering me, do you use ain't.” 1.  I don't use ain't. 2.  My father never used ain't. 3.  My mother never used ain't. 4.  None of my friends in high school used ain't. 5.  None of my friends in college used ain't. 6.  None of my current friends use ain't. 7.  None of my teachers ever used ain't. 8.  Very, very few of our neighbors where I grew up ever used ain't. 9.  Very, very few of my classmates in high school used ain't. 10.  Those few that used ain't were from the lower socio-economic classes. Exception:  My friends and I will occasionally use ain't to introduce humor into a conversation.  In these situations, we're doing a sort of play acting, and not using ain't as a word we ourselves would normally choose. There's no reason in the world why someone learning English would ever need to use ain't.  You can safely forget that it even exists. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,415 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Universities, Learning English, Relationships, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Students, Speaking, Chat, Friendships, Friends, Schools, Conversational, Languages

	makaay  +  928580 Mon, 05 Oct 09 01:14 AM Haha, ok. I've never used ain't either, as far as I can remember. So, thanks. That's a word deleted from my vocabulary, just will use it to understand people from the lower socio-economic classes then. makaay Vocabulary, Classes

	CalifJim  +  929206 Mon, 05 Oct 09 05:55 PM makaay “I've never used ain't either” And I hope you ain't gonna start now!  It ain't real nice! CJ CalifJim Countries, France