Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jays]

Is "it don't" in the following sentences grammatically correct?
If it is, why did Duke say "it don't" instead of "it doesn't"?
---- the following -----
What did Duke mean when he said there were only two kinds of music, good and bad? Maybe Duke meant this. Every time and every place produces a different style of music. Some music has the power to make us think new thoughts, even about very old ideas, like pain, love, and death. Some music has the power to swing its melody into a rhythm and make us feel it. Other music just has the power to make money. Duke said it best: "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing."

[asterix]

No, it's not grammatically correct, but it is the way people talk.
It is a direct quotation, so it's perfectly OK to report it, enclosed, as it is, in quotion marks.

[2006]

It's the way some people talk, but one shouldn't copy them.

[CP]

The Duke referred to is Duke Ellington, a big band leader of the swing era. "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" is the title of one of his biggest hits. The title has two grammatical errors--"it don't" instead of "it doesn't," and "ain't got" instead of "doesn't have."

In songs, it is more common to find "don't" where "doesn't" belongs, because it often fits better. "It Don't Come Easy," made famous by Ringo Starr, is one example. The song wouldn't work with the extra syllable of "doesn't."
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb