Show of hands – how many of you knew contractions were used in Regency times? List is from here but I only kept the ones used by 1810. http://www.joannawaugh.com/expressions.html
Jane Austen used ain’t, can’t, don’t, I’ll, I’m, I’ve, ma’am, o’clock, shan’t, ’tis, won’t and you’ll.
ain’t – in use by 1780
‘cause (because) in use by 1450
can’t – by 1655
couldn’t – by 1650
don’t – c. 1640
e’en (even) – c. 1300
e’er (ever) – c. 1300
‘em (them) – c. 1100
I’d – c. 1655
I’ll – c. 1570
I’m – c. 1595
I’ve – c. 1745
it’s – c. 1625 (see also t’is)
ma’am – c. 1670
mustn’t – c. 1745
ne’er (never) – c. 1300
o’ (of) – c. 1300
o’clock – c. 1720
shan’t – c. 1655
she’d – c. 1745
she’ll – c. 1595
they’d – c. 1680
they’ll – c. 1615
they’re – c. 1595
they’ve – c. 1615
t’is or ’tis — c. 1400
tone (the one) – c. 1350
tother (the other) – c. 1350
‘twas – c. 1590
‘tween – c. 1300
’twere – c. 1590
‘twixt – c. 1350
we’d – c. 1605
we’ll – c. 1580
we’ve – c. 1745
who’d – c. 1640
won’t – c. 1655
you’d – c. 1605
you’ll – c. 1595
you’re – c. 1595
you’ve – c. 1695