Ain’t is a short spoken form that can stand for am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not. I ain’t ready. She ain’t here. We ain’t got time. He ain’t done it yet.

Ain’t is是 a short spoken form一個口語的縮短形式，that can stand for可以代替 am not、is not、are not、has not、or或 have not。I ain’t ready.我還沒準備好。She ain’t here.她不在這裡。We ain’t got time.我們沒時間了。He ain’t done it yet.他還沒做。

Many teachers, exams, and style books treat it as wrong, and you should not write it in school essays or formal letters. Though actually, millions of people say it every day — in parts of the United States, in some British dialects, in songs, and in films — and they are not “failing English”; they are using a real, old spoken form.

Many很多 teachers, exams, and style books老師、考試和寫作規範書 treat it as wrong把它當成錯的，and you你 in school essays or formal letters在學校作文或正式書信裡 should not write it不應該寫它。Though actually不過其實，millions of people幾百萬人 every day每天都 say it在說它——in parts of the United States在美國部分地區、in some British dialects在一些英國方言裡、in songs在歌裡、and in films和電影裡——and they他們 are not並不是 “failing English”「英文不及格」；they are using他們用的是 a real, old spoken form一個真實、古老的口語形式。

It is first found in the early 1700s meaning am not. Later it spread, especially in London Cockney speech, as a general “not” contraction; writers such as Dickens used it to show that speech, which helped push it out of what schools call correct English. The sound also shifted, a bit like some dialects’ change in can’t.

It它 in the early 1700s在一七〇〇年代早期 is first found最早被發現，meaning意思是 am not。Later後來 it它 spread傳開了，especially in London Cockney speech尤其在倫敦的 Cockney 口音裡，as a general “not” contraction成了一個通用的「not」縮寫；writers such as Dickens像狄更斯這樣的作家 used it用它 to show that speech來呈現那種說話方式，which helped push it out of這反而幫著把它推出了 what schools call correct English學校所謂的正確英文。The sound它的音 also也 shifted變了，a bit like有點像 some dialects’ change in can’t某些方言裡 can’t 的變化。

In careful English you want I’m not, isn’t, aren’t, hasn’t, haven’t. The polite question is aren’t I?, even though that looks as if it should be “are not I” — that spelling grew from a different pronunciation of the old am-not form. Use ain’t only when you are copying speech on purpose.

In careful English在講究的英文裡，you want你要用的是 I’m not、isn’t、aren’t、hasn’t、haven’t。The polite question有禮貌的問句 is是 aren’t I?，even though即使 that looks as if it should be它看起來好像應該是 “are not I”——that spelling那個拼法 from a different pronunciation of the old am-not form是從古老 am-not 形式的另一種發音 grew長出來的。only when you are copying speech on purpose只有在你故意模仿口語的時候，Use ain’t才用 ain’t。