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,
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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.
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