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pangaea
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
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 Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:16 am Post subject: Grammar question: I could/couldn't care less. |
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| I hear this phrase used a lot but most people say "I could care less." I personally don't think that's correct. I thought the meaning of the saying is basically "I don't care." If you could care less, that means you do care to some degree. If you couldn't care less, then you care so little that it's impossible to care less than that. What is the correct saying? This is one of my pet peeves. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:30 am Post subject: |
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american english/english english
annoys me a bit as well, but well ... |
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georgeperec
Joined: 04 Aug 2009
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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:50 am Post subject: |
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Couldn't care less makes more sense to me because it expresses absolute disdain for the person.
If you want a nonsensical phrase, how about I "am more than happy" to do something for you. George Carlin joked about this one. Can someone explain what "more than happy" is?  |
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Sergio Stefanuto
Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:44 am Post subject: Re: Grammar question: I could/couldn't care less. |
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| pangaea wrote: |
| I hear this phrase used a lot but most people say "I could care less." I personally don't think that's correct. I thought the meaning of the saying is basically "I don't care." If you could care less, that means you do care to some degree. If you couldn't care less, then you care so little that it's impossible to care less than that. What is the correct saying? This is one of my pet peeves. |
I could agree more |
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Lunar Groove Gardener
Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Location: 1987 Subaru
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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I could of told you that.
It's better then some other mistakes.
Don't get disorientated.
I've went mad trying to make that same point. |
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oskinny1
Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Dev wrote: |
| Can someone explain what "more than happy" is? |
Very happy?
Irregardless, who cares (about what the OP said)?
wtf? Why is irregardless considered a correct spelling in Firefox's spell check? |
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The Sleeping Earth
Joined: 08 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Nothing bugs me more than "could care less". It's lazy and ridiculous. |
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Globutron
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang
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| Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think its american english/english english. I've heard both American's and Brit's saying both. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 12:05 am Post subject: |
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both ways are used often
you could protest like some bitty old English teacher complaining about the use of 'irony'
(do you see what i did there?) |
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Sergio Stefanuto
Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 12:17 am Post subject: |
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| VanIslander wrote: |
| both ways are used often |
So? |
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sugarkane59
Joined: 10 Jun 2009
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:04 am Post subject: |
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| Lunar Groove Gardener wrote: |
I could of told you that.
It's better then some other mistakes.
Don't get disorientated.
I've went mad trying to make that same point. |
It's actually 'could have' not 'could of'. That's another mistake that many people make. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:28 am Post subject: |
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| sugarkane59 wrote: |
| Lunar Groove Gardener wrote: |
I could of told you that.
It's better then some other mistakes.
Don't get disorientated.
I've went mad trying to make that same point. |
It's actually 'could have' not 'could of'. That's another mistake that many people make. |
That was the one mistake you picked up? |
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pangaea
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:27 am Post subject: |
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oskinny1 wrote:
| Quote: |
Very happy?
Irregardless, who cares (about what the OP said)?
wtf? Why is irregardless considered a correct spelling in Firefox's spell check? |
From Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary:
| Quote: |
Main Entry: ir�re�gard�less
Pronunciation: \ˌir-i-ˈg�rd-ləs\
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
Date: circa 1912
nonstandard : regardless
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that �there is no such word.� There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead. |
This word annoys me. Another word that unreasonably irritates me is "utilize." Just say "USE." Thank you. That is all. |
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jugbandjames
Joined: 15 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Sergio Stefanuto wrote: |
| VanIslander wrote: |
| both ways are used often |
So? |
...so that means both forms are acceptable usage. |
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