liftin

Liftin is an informal spelling and pronunciation of the present participle or gerund of the verb lift, characterized by dropping the final g in the -ing ending. It appears in casual speech and in writing that imitates speech, such as song lyrics, dialogue in fiction, or dialect transcription. The standard written form is lifting, but liftin' with an apostrophe indicates g-deletion in many varieties of English, especially in American English dialects.

Usage and examples commonly appear in informal contexts. For instance, phrases like "I'm liftin' this box" or "they're liftin' weights at the gym" illustrate the typical pronunciation and spelling. The apostrophe signals the omitted g and is not considered appropriate for formal writing, where the standard -ing form is preferred.

Phonology and relation to broader patterns: The phenomenon is part of g-dropping, where final -ing forms are pronounced as [ɪn] or [ən] instead of [ɪŋ]. The term "liftin'" is not a separate word with independent meaning; it is a representation of casual speech. Across dialects, similar -in' spellings exist for other verbs (doin', runnin', etc.), reflecting a broader pattern of informal English pronunciation and orthography.

See also: g-dropping, -in' forms.