We are looking for articles for a possible collection of essays on the unassuming, yet much-assuming word ain't. We have had some good feedback towards publication of such a book and would like to continue rapidly into the next phase.

 

Studies could include pieces in the areas of corpus linguistics, historical overviews, literary analyses, folk linguistics, dialect or regional usages, popular culture, and language attitudes. Any angle on the word is of interest to us. Possible topics include but are not limited to the following:

 

*	Arguments for and against the acceptability of ain't in spoken and/or written usage;
*	Attitudes towards ain't in academic literature, the works of language pundits, the popular press, literary works, style and usage guides, and classroom textbooks;
*	The use of ain't in the works of specific authors, periods, and regions;
*	Ain't in fixed expressions and clichés;
*	Ain't in popular media like cartoons, music, television, online, social media, etc;
*	Ain't as a marker of social class, culture, or group identity;
*	Ain't as it is used within a region or across regions (larger or smaller geographical areas in North America, the UK, Australia, etc);
*	The status of ain't in a particular form of English, whether Standard American English, Black English Vernaculars, British English (Received Pronunciation), as well as in any of the World Englishes;
*	Ain't in the usage of non-native speakers of English or as discussed in L2 acquisition;
*	Studies based on specific written or spoken corpuses of English.

 

Articles could be long or short, depending on the topic. Most final essays will be between 6500 and 8000 words, including citations; however, we recognize that topics could be quite large or quite small, depending on the focus. Therefore, there will be latitude for items that are akin to "notes," in addition to articles that may be a bit longer than 8000 words.

 

Please send proposals or completed papers accompanied by abstracts via email attachment to BOTH editors (MSWord or RTF) by July 1, 2012. Please include a separate, current curriculum vitae and your full contact information including your office and summer phone numbers and preferred e-mail address.

 

For more information, feel free to contact us by phone or email.

 

Patricia Donaher, Ph.D.

Area Chair, PCA Language Attitudes and Popular Linguistics

Assoc. Professor of English and Graduate Faculty

Department of English

Missouri Western State University

4525 Downs Drive

St. Joseph, MO 64507

816-271-5964

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Seth Katz, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of English and in the Graduate School

Department of English

Bradley University

1501 W. Bradley Avenue

Peoria, IL  61625

309-677-2479

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