shouldn't

English edit

Etymology edit

should +‎ -n't

Pronunciation edit

(UK) IPA^(key): /ˈʃʊdn̩t/
(Yorkshire) IPA^(key): [ˈʃʊnʔ]
Audio (US) (file)

Verb edit

shouldn't

Should not (negative auxiliary^[1])

Usage notes edit

Although shouldn't is derived from should not, the two are not grammatically interchangeable. While "Shouldn't I do it?" is grammatical, "Should not I do it?" is no longer acceptable. It would instead be "Should I not do it?"^[1]

Coordinate terms edit

can't, couldn't, mayn't, mightn't, oughtn't, shan't, won't, wouldn't

Derived terms edit

shouldn't've

Translations edit

Should not

Maori: kia kaua ... e + verb

Noun edit

shouldn't (plural shouldn'ts)

(informal) Something that should not be done.
- 2008, Working Mother, volume 31, number 8, page 20:
  Being a list-o-maniac, I suggested we make a list of the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." So in the darkness of hazy sleep, I began to mentally prepare mine. The first item on the "should" side was easy: a sibling for our 3-year-old daughter.

References edit

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Zwicky, Arnold M., Geofrey K. Pullum (1983) “Cliticization vs. Inlection: English n't”, in Language, volume 59, number 3, pages pp. 502–513

[Zwicky_and_Pullum-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Zwicky, Arnold M., Geofrey K. Pullum (1983) “Cliticization vs. Inlection: English n't”, in Language, volume 59, number 3, pages pp. 502–513

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