different between inwit vs innit

English

Etymology

From Middle English inwit (“mind, reason, intellect, understanding; soul, spirit; feeling; the collection of inner faculties; one of five inner faculties; one of the outer bodily senses.; inward awareness of right or wrong, conscience”), from Old English *inwitt, in?ewitnes (“consciousness, conscience, knowledge, knowing”), equivalent to in- +? wit. Compare Scots inwit, Saterland Frisian Gewieten, West Frisian gewisse, Dutch geweten, German Low German Geweten, German Gewissen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nw?t/

Noun

inwit (uncountable)

1. (archaic) Inward knowledge or understanding.
2. (obsolete) Conscience; inward sense of morality.

Derived terms

• angel's inwit

Middle English

Alternative forms

• ynwitt, inwitt, inwytt, ynwytt, inwyt, inwytte, ine-wyt

Etymology

From Old English *inwitt; equivalent to in- +? witt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?inwit/, /?n?wit/

Noun

inwit (uncountable)

1. reasoning, mental acuity, brainpower.
2. attitude, impression, essence
3. A mental process or power
4. morality, moral code; judgement
5. (rare) plan, intent, purpose.

Descendants

• English: inwit (archaic)

References

• “inwit, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-05-02.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n?t/
• Rhymes: -?n?t

Contraction

innit

1. (informal, low register) Contraction of isn't it.

   Innit your birthday today?

   It's your birthday today, innit?

2. (Britain, informal, proscribed) Used as a replacement for any other negative tag question, irrespective of person, number, or verb.

   You like listening to pop music, innit?

   You were dissing my girl, innit?

3. (Britain, informal, proscribed) Used as a discourse marker.

   I like pop music innit

Usage notes

• When used as a generic tag question in British English, sometimes associated with Multicultural London English, but considered bad or broken English by most educated speakers.

Synonyms

• (isn't it): isn't it, ain't it (slang), ahlie (MLE, Toronto, slang)
• (tag question): see Appendix:English tag questions

References

• “innit”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.