P3D Language & Spelling

[Ron Fredrickson <RLF@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Unlike some of the other contributors, I won't try to change this into a
stereo exchange, but I'll add a bit to the word usage controversy.

>When I was a youngster, my father would constantly say that
>"ain't" isn't a word.  Of course he'd show how the dictionary
>didn't have it listed.  Does now and has for quite some time.  :-)
>
>Mike K.

>From my "Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary" (complete reference):

"ain't: 1. Nonstandard in U.S. except in some dialects; informal in Brit. am
not.
        2. Nonstandard. Are not, is not, have not, or has not. (var. of
amn't {contr of         AM NOT} by loss of m and raising with compensatory
lengthening of A)"

"---Usage. AIN'T is so traditionally and widely regarded as a nonstandard
form that it should be shunned by all who prefer to avoid being considered
illiterate. AIN'T occurs occasionally in the informal speech of some
educated users, especially in self-consciously or folksy or humorous
contexts (Ain't it the truth! She ain't what she used to be!) but it is
completely unacceptable in formal writing and speech. Although the
expression ain't I? is perhaps defensible--- and it is considered more
logical than aren't I? and more euphonious than amn't I?--- the well-advised
person will avoid any use of AIN'T."

So, yes, you are correct, ain't is definitely in the dictionary! Many
persons seem to use this fact as license to use ain't as they wish: In place
of isn't, aren't, haven't (as in I ain't got), rather than for amn't alone.

But this is only one dictionary, and I believe that the ones regarded as
authoritative are the Oxford or Random House dictionaries which come with
many volumes. I'm sorry that I couldn't put in the proper italics, bold
type, etc., where needed in my quotation, but I think it comes through well
enough. 

And, my dictionary shows sync as an informal substitute for synchronization
or synchronize.

Perhaps I'm overly sensitive to ain't because I remember an incident from my
second grade class way back in 1933 in a small town in North Dakota. the
teacher was taking attendance, and I popped up with, "Vera ain't here". For
the rest of that school day I was supposed to wear a piece of paper (pinned
on me) with the word "ain't" written on it in bold lettters for all to see.
However, when my dad saw it at lunch time (he frequently used that naughty
word), off came the label and the teacher never said another word about it.  

Back to stereo... When I first got into stereo there was an active
organization, the
Metropolitan Stereo Club in NYC (I believe they even sponsored an annual
stereo exhibition). Is the NYSS the heir apparent to the old MSC (in my
historical files I have a number of their newsletters)?

Ron Fredrickson


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