inquiry

[Bethany K. Dumas]

On Mon, 19 Aug 2002, lynn short wrote:

>I have long wondered about the origin of a word that is routinely used in
>Eastern Kentucky and other parts of Appalachia. The word is nean or neen, I
>am not sure of the spelling, but it rhymes with mean. An example of the
>usage is "Lynn, you nean to think you can get away with that. Does anyone
>have any ideas about the origin of this word?

It's a contracted form of (contracted) needn't = need not.

Bethany