I seen Bill at the ball game the other day. I seen a cat cross the road. I seen a bug on the window. I seen when you did that.
The use of the word 'seen' in the above examples is so very wrong.
What you should say, instead, is this: I saw Bill at the ball game the other day. I saw a cat cross the road. I saw a bug on the window. I saw when you did that.
The only time it is acceptable to use the word 'seen' is in a cases such as these: Have you seen my jacket? Or... The movie couldn't be seen by the people in the back row.
When in doubt, just figure out a way to say what you want to say without using the word 'seen' at all. For example: I can't find my jacket; do you know where it is? Or... The movie screen was blocked from the view of the people in the back row.
That way, you're always safe. Using the word 'seen' incorrectly, unfortunately, has the effect of making a person sound less intelligent than they actually (probably) are. That may sound harsh, but it's true.
Now, let's discuss the word 'ain't'.
Why should you never, ever, ever use that word? I don't care if you DO find it in the dictionary! It's not a word, and using it, just like the word 'seen', makes a person sound ignorant. Harsh, I know. But, true.
'Ain't' is a fictional conjunction made up of the words 'Am', 'Is', and 'Not'.
When have you ever in your life used those three words successively in a sentence? Have you ever in your life said something like, I am is not going to take your lip anymore, young man! Or, I am is not joking.
No. You have never. Because it makes no sense. Neither does 'ain't. Please don't use it.
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:) I think it must be a regional thing. But you're right. When I hear someone say, "I seen them at Walmart," I think they must live in a trailer.
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that I actually live in a trailer, and I can't stand it! Haha! Thanks for reading!
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