The social unacceptability of
ain't, the historical contraction of
am not, has created a gap in the pattern of verbal contractions.
I'm not, the alternative to
I ain't, has no corresponding interrogative form except
ain't I. In questions,
ain't I is often avoided by the use of
aren't I:
I'm right, aren't I? Aren't I on the list? This
aren't is simply a different outcome of the same historical development that yielded
ain't, but the fact that it is spelled and pronounced like the contraction of
are not (as in
You are staying, aren't you?) apparently gives it, for some, an acceptability that
ain't lacks. The use of
aren't I is objected to by others because a declarative counterpart, I
aren't, does not exist. Many speakers, however, prefer
aren't I to the uncontracted, rather formal
am I not. See also
ain't,
contraction.