I was always partial to the British Shan’t = Shall not
Or my Irish relations Amn’t = Am not 🙂
I have always loved “shan’t”. Solid word.
Beginning Sonnet 73, surely the Bard could have as profitably writ:
“That season thou mayn’t fail in me behold”
As what actually flow’d fromme hith true inspir’d penne, if only he’d had your word at his disposal….. 🙂
I think the Scots sometimes use “mayn’t”, and certainly use “amn’t”, which when you think it’s a contraction of the proper form “I am not” is perfectly sensible!
Prosophos 
I was always partial to the British Shan’t = Shall not
Or my Irish relations Amn’t = Am not 🙂
I have always loved “shan’t”. Solid word.
Beginning Sonnet 73, surely the Bard could have as profitably writ:
“That season thou mayn’t fail in me behold”
As what actually flow’d fromme hith true inspir’d penne, if only he’d had your word at his disposal….. 🙂
I think the Scots sometimes use “mayn’t”, and certainly use “amn’t”, which when you think it’s a contraction of the proper form “I am not” is perfectly sensible!
Chris, is it true?! Have the Scots beat me to it?