<P> The strong prescription against ain't in standard English has led to many misconceptions, often expressed jocularly (or ironically), as "ain't ain't a word" or "ain't ain't in the dictionary ." Ain't is listed in most dictionaries, including the Oxford Dictionary of English and Merriam - Webster . However, Oxford states "it does not form part of standard English and should never be used in formal or written contexts", and Merriam - Webster states it is "widely disapproved as non-standard and more common in the habitual speech of the less educated". </P> <P> Webster's Third New International Dictionary, published in 1961, went against then - standard practice when it included the following usage note in its entry on ain't: "though disapproved by many and more common in less educated speech, used orally in most parts of the U.S. by many cultivated speakers esp. in the phrase ain't I ." Many commentators disapproved of the dictionary's relatively permissive attitude toward the word, which was inspired, in part, by the belief of its editor, Philip Gove, that "distinctions of usage were elitist and artificial". </P> <P> Ain't is found throughout the English - speaking world across regions and classes, and is among the most pervasive nonstandard terms in English . It is one of two negation features (the other being the double negative) that are known to appear in all nonstandard English dialects . Ain't is used throughout the United Kingdom, with its geographical distribution increasing over time . It is also found throughout the United States, including in Appalachia, the South, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Upper Midwest . In its geographical ubiquity, ain't is to be contrasted with other folk usages such as y'all, which is confined to the South region of the United States . </P> <P> In England, ain't is generally considered a non-standard usage, as it is used by speakers of a lower socio - economic class, or by educated people in an informal manner . In the nineteenth century, ain't was often used by writers to denote regional dialects such as Cockney English . A notable exponent of the term is Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle from George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion; "I ain't done nothing wrong by speaking to the gentleman" said Doolittle . Ain't is a non-standard feature commonly found in mainstream Australian English, and in New Zealand, ain't is a feature of Māori - influenced English . In American English, usage of ain't corresponds to a middle level of education, although it is widely believed that its use establishes of lack of education or social standing in the speaker . </P>

Where does the word ain't originate from