Contractions: gonna, wanna, tryinna

[Mai Kuha]

Some loosely connected observations...

I just overheard a nice example of the contexts in which "going to" can be
contracted.

Two people on the bus were discussing a mutual friend who is currently in
jail. At one point, the specific topic had to do with the likelihood of the
incarcerated friend mending her ways (or something like that) and one of the
speakers said:

"Ain't gonna happen. Just ain't going to."

I thought it was neat to hear how even in this extremely informal
conversation the final "to" doesn't seem to be a candidate for contraction
for this speaker. (It was [t@], but it was clearly there.)

This reminded me of a contraction on a Seinfeld episode that's been haunting
me for a long time. Elaine is trying to convince a total stranger to drive
her and her friends around the parking garage so that they can find their
car. He refuses, and when Elaine insists, gives this reason: "I just don't
[w at nu]." "But why?" Elaine whines, "why don't you [w at nu]?"
I found that very odd. Dispense with the [t], but keep a full-blown [u]?

And that reminded me of my dissertation data. I have one of my lovely
informants saying this on tape:
"I think I was just tryinna, I think more than complain, just let the
neighbor know I'm aware of the situation."
I'm not aware of having heard "tryinna" since. Maybe it does occur but isn't
noticed?

(It's kinda depressing to notice that these instances of contracted or
uncontracted "to" have been cluttering my memory for years.)

-Mai