# Grammar Nazis, is this correct usage **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427 "2004-01-08T15:13:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/1 "2004-01-08T15:13:50Z")
Today I got an email one line of which read Aren’t I mean I have seen this sort of usage before but for some reason today it struck me as odd, I mean Aren’t I mean is equivalent to Are not I mean isn’t it? and that sounds just plain odd. Is “Aren’t I mean” correct grammatically? ---
**Author:** ![FriendRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@FriendRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriendRob)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/2 "2004-01-08T15:21:36Z")
No. “Am I not mean?” or “Amn’t I mean?” are both correct. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/3 "2004-01-08T15:22:15Z")
“Am I not mean?” ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/4 "2004-01-08T15:24:46Z")
Well 2 answers the same seems a good indication to me. Thanks guys. It’s quite a common thing here in the north of England to say ‘Aren’t I awful’, or something. At least now I’ll know it’s wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/5 "2004-01-08T15:27:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FriendRob \* > “Amn’t I mean?” You’re kidding, right? How is this more correct than “Aren’t I mean?”? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/6 "2004-01-08T15:36:22Z")
It is actually substituted for the correct contraction _ain’t_ which itself went out of fashion when people began to misuse it. The full story is [here](http://www.elp-blink.com/WofW-aint.htm) for we pedants. ---
**Author:** ![Thrillhouse15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@Thrillhouse15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thrillhouse15)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/7 "2004-01-08T15:50:37Z")
I’d read about the history of “ain’t” a few times before, and an example phrase of correct usage always includes “ain’t I.” I’m wondering, if “ain’t” is a contraction for “am I not” then isn’t the phrase “ain’t I” redundant, because the “I” is repeated? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/8 "2004-01-08T16:38:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*It is actually substituted for the correct contraction _ain’t_ which itself went out of fashion when people began to misuse it. The full story is [here](http://www.elp-blink.com/WofW-aint.htm) for we pedants. \*\* We real pedants would say, “for us pedants” in the above quote. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/9 "2004-01-08T16:59:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thrillhouse15 \* > \*\*I’d read about the history of “ain’t” a few times before, and an example phrase of correct usage always includes “ain’t I.” I’m wondering, if “ain’t” is a contraction for “am I not” then isn’t the phrase “ain’t I” redundant, because the “I” is repeated? \*\* As **don’t ask’s** link states, “ain’t” is a contraction for “am not” ( **not** for “am **I** not”), so there is no redundancy. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/10 "2004-01-08T17:03:57Z")
A lot of people whose families suffered under the Nazis may be offended by frivolous use of the term. And I don’t think you endear yourselves to the people whose advice you seek by calling them Nazis. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/11 "2004-01-08T17:13:45Z")
Oh, dear God. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/12 "2004-01-08T17:35:47Z")
**Dear** Grammar Nazis, is this correct usage\*\*?\*\* Today I got an email\*\*;\*\* one line of which read\*\*,\*\* **"Aren’t I mean?\*\*\*\*"** I have seen this sort of usage before\*\*,\*\* but for some reason\*\*,\*\* today it struck me as odd, I mean\*\*,\*\* **"Aren’t I mean?\*\*\*\*"** is equivalent to **“Are not I mean?\*\*\*\*”** **,** isn’t it? **A** nd that sounds just plain odd. Is "Aren’t I mean\*\*? **" correct** ,\*\* grammatically? ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/13 "2004-01-08T18:19:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*A lot of people whose families suffered under the Nazis may be offended by frivolous use of the term. And I don’t think you endear yourselves to the people whose advice you seek by calling them Nazis. \*\* I do not find the term offensive. ---
**Author:** ![regnad\_kcin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@regnad\_kcin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/regnad_kcin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/14 "2004-01-08T18:24:59Z")
Why, you “nazi” nazi! RK 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/15 "2004-01-08T18:30:33Z")
Since the phrase “Aren’t I \_\_\_\_\_\_\_?” is usually used in informal conversation and meant to be coy, I just go all the way and use the incorrect (because it’s now archaic) ain’t. “Amn’t” will not replace ain’t because amn’t sounds stilted and unnatural. Go on; try to say it–“Amn’t I mean?” That’s more work than saying am not; thus, it fails as an abbreviation. Really, since there is no way to make the phrase sound natural and be grammatically correct, either let it be incorrect or rephrase it as “I’m mean, right?” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/16 "2004-01-08T18:44:53Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by gluteus maximus \* > **Dear Grammar Nazis, is this correct usage**?_\* > > Today I got an email\*\*;\*\* one line of which read\*\*,\*\* > > **"Aren’t I mean?\*\*\*\*"** > > I have seen this sort of usage before\*\*,\*\* but for some reason\*\*,\*\* today it struck me as odd, I mean\*\*,\*\* > > **"Aren’t I mean?\*\*\*\*"** is equivalent to **“Are not I mean?\*\*\*\*”** **,** isn’t it? **A** nd that sounds just plain odd. > > Is "Aren’t I mean\*\*? **" correct** ,\*\* grammatically? \*\* Um…Why a semi-colon in the beginning there? It should be a comma so far as I know. The final comma is unnecessary. You could put it there, but especially with today’s trend toward open punctuation, it would most likely be dropped by most editors. ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/17 "2004-01-08T19:11:38Z")
**Dear Grammar Nazis, is this correct usage**?\*\* Today I got an email\*\*,\*\* one line of which read\*\*,\*\* **"Aren’t I mean?\*\*\*\*"** I have seen this sort of usage before\*\*,\*\* but for some reason\*\*,\*\* today it struck me as odd, I mean\*\*,\*\* **"Aren’t I mean?\*\*\*\*"** is equivalent to **“Are not I mean?\*\*\*\*”** **,** isn’t it? **A** nd that sounds just plain odd. Is "Aren’t I mean\*\*? **" correct** ,\*\* grammatically?\*\* Satisfied, you Punctuation Nazi Nazi? 😉 The OP already demonstrated enough open punctuation, thank you. I stand by that final comma. Qualifying adjectives usually precede the main adjective. _Is “Aren’t I mean?” grammatically correct?_ doesn’t need the comma. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/18 "2004-01-09T08:02:44Z")
Thanks for all the info everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/19 "2004-01-09T09:03:46Z")
Total thread Hijack for another grammar question: A majority of students is expected to… or A majority of students are expected to… ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427/20 "2004-01-09T09:15:27Z")
A majority of students is. (According to the 2003 Associated Press Style Book.) Majority is a singular noun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-nazis-is-this-correct-usage/223427.md?page=2)