Enit?

[Jeffrey Kopp]

Well, I suppose enit could have had native origin and then caught on
with non-natives who didn't realize its source, believing it did
sound like "ain't it."  Since Dave reports it sounds more like
"ennit" (which is further removed from "ain't"), this could be so.  I
can't recall having heard it myself so I guess I will have to check
out a copy of "Smoke Signals" so I can hear it firsthand.

I dreamed last night I was watching some old movie on TV that I had
seen several times before but this time they were speaking in mixed
Jargon and English.

My first Jargon dream.

Regards,

Jeff

On Wed, 23 Jun 1999 10:21:54 -0700 (PDT), you wrote:

>I disagree that the word enit is non-native, I would think the social
>context would truly determine the meaning of the word. The native use of
>the word would be different from the non-native use and would have
>phenomenological connections which do not exist in the non-native world. I
>have heard this word used extensively on the reservations in Oregon and I
>do not always understand what is meant. What ever the origin of the word,
>that would not necessarily determine the word ownership. Besides it is
>hard for me to make a firm determination of origination over e-mail. 
>In Spirit
>David
>
>On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Jeffrey Kopp wrote:
>
>> Well, thanks for the informative replies; the consensus (well, it's
>> unanimous) seems to be that "enit" is non-native and simply a
>> contraction for "ain't it (the truth)."  But at least it gave me an
>> excuse to mention the remarkable local-interest story which appeared
>> in TNY. 
>> 
>> It appears that Don Boucher gets the prize for the most distant
>> sighting, as reported below:
>> 
>> On Tue, 22 Jun 1999 18:01:01 -0700, you wrote:
>> 
>> >Klahowya,
>> >
>> >Where I grew up in NE Pennsylvania, the word "eh-nah" was used as "ain't
>> >it" or a general ending to a question, much like Canadians use "eh". I
>> >had to break myself of this embarrassing habit when I moved out west.
>> >
>> >I'm sure glad I don't say dat no more, eh-nah?
>> >
>> >Don Boucher
>> >Corvallis, OR
>> >bouchdon at juno.com
>> >http://greenfield.fortunecity.com/dwellers/161/
>> 
>> I kinda wonder what "embarrassing habits" we Westerners might need to
>> break when going back East.  I don't recall any offhand, but when I
>> was in SE Mass 20 years ago, I did get odd looks when I ordered a
>> milkshake (called a "frappe" there), or drive around in the daytime
>> with my headlights on.
>>