# What contraction would you use for the phrase "I have not"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204 "2009-08-29T22:12:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/1 "2009-08-29T22:12:18Z")
As in, say, “I have not seen the new Harry Potter movie yet.” Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I always heard it shortened to “I haven’t.” These days, though, I frequently read and hear people using the construction “I’ve not,” which is just as grammatically correct but sounds foreign and pretentious to me. I’m curious as to whether this is a regional thing or a linguistic shift or… heck, _I_ don’t know what it is. So, I ask you, which one would you be more likely to use: “I haven’t” or “I’ve not”? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/2 "2009-08-29T22:15:56Z")
Either, or. Depends on what mood I’m in. If I thought about it long enough I’d probably be able to find a pattern, but they’re pretty much interchangeable for me. Edit: Actually, I think I may use “I’ve not” more when clarity is an issue, it’s easy to slur “haven’t” so that the “n’t” part gets muddled and missed by the listener, but saying “not” explicitly makes it easier to get the meaning. ---
**Author:** ![ReuvenB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@ReuvenB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReuvenB)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/3 "2009-08-29T22:16:51Z")
I haven’t. I grew up in Cincinnati, OH, if that’s important. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/4 "2009-08-29T22:18:36Z")
Southern Californian here. I don’t think I ever say “I’ve not” and it would sound odd to me if someone else said it, but in writing they convey (at least to me) slightly different meaning. “I haven’t seen it” emphasizes the _have_, suggesting that you might be intending to see it. “I’ve not seen it” emphasizes the _not_, suggesting that you don’t intend to see it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/5 "2009-08-29T22:20:10Z")
I haven’t feels more natural. I’ve not seems like something that might (or not, this is just the sense I get) be common in English-speaking countries other than the US. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/6 "2009-08-29T22:25:46Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Southern Californian here. I don’t think I ever say “I’ve not” and it would sound odd to me if someone else said it, but in writing they convey (at least to me) slightly different meaning. > > “I haven’t seen it” emphasizes the _have_, suggesting that you might be intending to see it. > “I’ve not seen it” emphasizes the _not_, suggesting that you don’t intend to see it. When I read “I’ve not,” it just makes my inner narrator acquire a posh British accent. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/7 "2009-08-29T22:33:45Z")
“I’ve not” more often than “I haven’t”. Then again, I’ve found myself speaking more casually of late, so I’d probably say “ant” or “ain’t”. ETA: I’m British. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/8 "2009-08-29T22:42:17Z")
I’d say “I haven’t,” but if I’m with my friends and not trying to sound halfway educated, I’d say “I’ven’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/9 "2009-08-29T22:44:27Z")
“I haven’t” usually sounds more natural to me; “I’ve not” just sounds as if the speaker might have come from some English-speaking country other than the U.S, or was taught English as a second language using sample texts and dialogs in BrE. It doesn’t sound pretentious. ---
**Author:** ![Maia\_s\_Well](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Maia\_s\_Well](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maia_s_Well)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/10 "2009-08-29T22:57:38Z")
I usually say, “I haven’t”. My mother’s father’s people, 'tho, they come from rural North Carolina. They all say, “I’ve not.” Lord, I can hear Uncle Carl and Aunt Gladys now… (Yes, the dialect choices in the first paragraph were deliberate choices. I know they’us wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/11 "2009-08-29T22:58:21Z")
I’ve not removes the emphasis from I and lowers your self importance by sharing. I haven’t leaves the speaker as important as they could possibly be. Now that the fun is over. I haven’t ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/12 "2009-08-29T23:06:12Z")
If it’s something that people in general have seen, but I’m emphasizing that _I_ haven’t, then I’ve not seen it. If it’s something that I’ve seen in general, but not lately, like the sneakers that you’re looking for, then I haven’t seen them. Northern Virginia ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/13 "2009-08-29T23:16:07Z")
I haven’t. Grew up and live in Southern Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/14 "2009-08-29T23:54:10Z")
I’d probably go for “I’ven’t”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/15 "2009-08-29T23:54:11Z")
Either is correct, but “I haven’t” feels more natural to me. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/16 "2009-08-30T00:05:07Z")
“I haven’t” would be my default response. But “I’ve not” sounds classier (more British?) to me. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/17 "2009-08-30T00:08:51Z")
Upon reading the OP title, I thought that occasionally I might say “I ain’t”. 😉 But that’s not what you asked. I’d say “I haven’t”. “I’ve not” sounds okay to me too, but you don’t hear it much around here. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/18 "2009-08-30T01:06:30Z")
I haven’t is what I usually use, but I hear myself using I’ve not more often lately. I’m not sure why. I think there are specific situations when I’m more likely to do so, but I can’t think what they are right now. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/19 "2009-08-30T01:11:32Z")
You know come to think of it, I probably use I’ve not more often. I sometimes use “I haven’t” if I’m distracted, but more often I’ll say something along the lines of “I’ven’t” then. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/20 "2009-08-30T03:31:59Z")
You know what really wrinkles my skin? When someone uses the contraction “I’ve” in a simple possessive statement. E.g. “I’ve a little dog” or “I’ve a nasty cold.” I would never use a contraction at all in that case, and neither should you, dammit. The word “have” is the whole point of the sentence. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204.md?page=2)