am I not vs aren't I

[snade17]

Hi dear experts, could you tell which of the two tag questions below is correct:

1. "I am a singer, am I not?"
2. "I am a singer, aren't I?"

[Shakespeare's brother]

HI, technically (1) is the most correct grammatically, but (2) reflects a old-style vernacular that is wholly acceptable.

SB

[rj1948]

HI, technically (1) is the most correct grammatically, but (2) reflects a old-style vernacular that is wholly acceptable.

SB

Ain't is also used as the contraction of AM I NOT,AREN'T,ISN'T.

[Shakespeare's brother]

Although 'aint' is a colloquialism.

[David L.]

,,,and to be avoided!!!
It is a colloquialism among certain 'dialects' only in the UK, and although widespread in the USA, again associated to anyone with education with such groups as 'red necks'

See 'Ain't slang' , 11.54 today, thread by Banderas

[bhaisahab]

Ain't is also used as the contraction of AM I NOT,AREN'T,ISN'T.

In Ireland (and possibly in other places), the contraction widely used for "Am I not" is "amn't I".

[Shakespeare's brother]

So too in Scotland. And this then would be dialectual, but also colloquial?

[bhaisahab]

So too in Scotland. And this then would be dialectual, but also colloquial?

Hi SB,
I suppose it depends what we mean by colloquial, I lived for 12 years in the west of Ireland and just about everyone I knew used it.