I have noticed that many people of USA origin use the phrase "I could care less" to indicate they do not care. But, clearly, this construction is wrong. "I could care less" suggests that they do care, since there is room to care less. The correct construction, surely, is "I couldn't care less", which many (usually non-American) people do use.
Is this a case of yanks becoming confused, or a deliberate attempt to do the complete opposite of everyone else, a trait that seems to be strong in the American psyche (not that there is anything wrong with that).
Originally posted by KalsenDang, our secret's out!
I have noticed that many people of USA origin use the phrase "I could care less" to indicate they do not care. But, clearly, this construction is wrong. "I could care less" suggests that they do care, since there is room to care less. The correct construction, surely, is "I couldn't care less", which many (usually non-American) people do use.
Is this a cas ...[text shortened]... t seems to be strong in the American psyche (not that there is anything wrong with that).
All right! Who told?????
Originally posted by KalsenObviously you could care less about this.
I have noticed that many people of USA origin use the phrase "I could care less" to indicate they do not care. But, clearly, this construction is wrong. "I could care less" suggests that they do care, since there is room to care less. The correct construction, surely, is "I couldn't care less", which many (usually non-American) people do use.
Is this a cas ...[text shortened]... t seems to be strong in the American psyche (not that there is anything wrong with that).
Originally posted by NordlysI have to admit it's something that has irritated the hell out of me. It seems a fairly recent thing and it plainly doesn't make sense to say "I could care less" when you mean "I couldn't care less" as they are almost opposites.
Obviously you could care less about this.
I even heard someone on an American news programme say it recently and it annoyed me even more than when people say "less" when they mean "fewer".
Originally posted by VargLook, we can't destroy the planet, make everyone hate us, AND speak in complete sentences! We have to draw the line somewhere!
I remember someone posting about this a while back.
The answer was that the full phrase is "I could care less, but not much!" but being Americans they are too lazy to say the whole thing.
You're right -- we have some really stupid phrases that make no sense. I agree with you there. We also have a leader who can't speak the language properly. It's just annoying that it's too easy to lump together and bash Americans or Muslims or Christians on the forums, and the lumping and bashing is by outsiders, not intelligent reflection by insiders. There's already an Americans-are-stupid thread today plus the on-going one in debates. Any time you want to talk about your own country, I'm all ears (or eyes, as the case may be).
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