The Archive

Etymology Journal · D

Don't pay it no mind

Meaning

A way of telling someone to ignore a negative comment, a weird occurrence, or a minor problem. It encourages indifference toward things that don't deserve attention.

Reassuring, dismissive

Used in a sentence

  • That old dog barks at everyone, don't pay it no mind.
  • He was just being grumpy this morning, don't pay it no mind.
  • I know the neighbor is acting strange, but don't pay it no mind.

The backstory

This is a classic Southernism that makes use of the double negative for emphasis. It has deep roots in regional rural dialects.

Heard in

The South

Vibe check