shalln't... shaln't... shan't ?

I have always used the first one but the spellchecker insist that only the last one is correct. The last one just looks completely wrong to me. Is this, perhaps, an American difference?

I've only seen the last one, but then I've led a sheltered life.

You are in good company. Others I have asked - including my old English teacher - agree with you. I think I may start using the Lewis Carroll spellings: sha'n't, ca'n't, wo'n't.

I see no reason why n't!

AA Milne had this to say about the issue:

There were Two Little Bears who lived in a Wood,
And one of them was Bad and the other was Good.
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times One -
But Bad Bear left all his buttons undone.

They lived in a Tree when the weather was hot,
And one of them was Good, and the other was Not.
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times Two -
But Bad Bear’s thingummies were worn right through.
...
They lived in the Wood with a Kind Old Aunt,
And one said 'Yes’m,' and the other said Shan’t!’
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times Four -
But Bad Bear’s knicketies were terrible tore.
...

...so apparently Milne's usage implies "an apostrophe means one or more letters have been omitted at or near this point."

There's the answer to the question, "Does a bear shan't in the woods."

quote:

shalln't... shaln't... shan't ?

Ran the three of them through Google Ngram Viewer. The result.

I guess "shan't" is just the phonetic spelling of "shalln't". I think of it as British English, as most US speakers would say won't.

Interesting that the one that has WITHOUT EXCEPTION been claimed to be correct by the people I've asked in various places shows no hits at all on the ngram viewer. Even my old English teacher says that "shan't" is the correct form.