I could care less

Sorry to go off topic here, but could someone please explain the meaning of this phrase?

You see, if I don’t care about something I say “I couldn’t care less”, which means that I alreadt care as little as possible. Vannyel appears to be saying that he does care because he is saying that he could care less, but his next line is in contradiction of this.

Is he being purposely nonsensical, or does he just not think about what he’s saying? I don’t agree with everything MM is saying, but his arguments appear logical. Vannyel’s don’t make much sense, particularly in respect to the question being asked.

“I could care less” is simply wrong. File it with “can’t hardly wait.”

My opinion - valid slang. “I couldn’t care less” is certainly the correct form. “I could care less” has the same meaning, but is more dismissive/sarcastic, as though it were the beginning of the phrase “I could care less… oh, wait, no, I couldn’t.” I realize it annoys purists, but although I’m a grammar/spelling Nazi in many respects, it works for me because it conveys a subtly different tone to the formally correct version.

Just waiting for someone to add the obvious comment to this topic :slight_smile:

It is something that North Americans say and- Yes, it is wrong. I remember another thread somewhere where a lot of them were getting a bit pissed of for being called on it. I think it concluded with “We are American, and we can say whatever we want”.

I could care less could also be said these ways:

1.) I don’t give a shit.

2.) I don’t give a fuck.

3.) I don’t give a hairy rat’s arse about…

:wink:

It’s illogical. It’s wrong. It gets on my willy.

So does this: “A couple hours later…”

What about:

I didn’t do nothin’ or I ain’t got nothin’?

I could really give a flying fuck.

[quote=“Isaac”]What about:

I didn’t do nothin’ or I ain’t got nothin’?[/quote]

Yes, those are equally incorrect. The person who says such a thing appears to be incredibly stupid. He or she is saying exactly the opposite of what he or she means.

Nope, there is neither a “hick” nor a “thick” emoticon.

Ophion, equally incorrect according to whose standards? Contrary to purist belief, grammar is not something set in stone and has changed over the years…and continues to change daily.
And who, pray tell is selecting the criteria to determine if a person ‘appears to be incredibly stupid?’

The question is not of grammar. It is of logic.

[quote=“Vannyel”]Ophion, equally incorrect according to whose standards? Contrary to purist belief, grammar is not something set in stone and has changed over the years…and continues to change daily.
And who, pray tell is selecting the criteria to determine if a person ‘appears to be incredibly stupid?’[/quote]I think words like “not” are set in stone, and you can’t just leave them out or add them in willy nilly.

[quote=“ophion”][quote=“Isaac”]What about:

I didn’t do nothin’ or I ain’t got nothin’?[/quote]

Yes, those are equally incorrect. The person who says such a thing appears to be incredibly stupid. He or she is saying exactly the opposite of what he or she means.[/quote]

And speech and fiction would be extraordinarily boring if everyone spoke ‘correctly’ at all times. Most people don’t speak in complete sentences either, and that’s ‘wrong’ too by those standards, isn’t it? Eh? :slight_smile: It’s wrong in the sense that you wouldn’t teach such phrases to non-native speakers, but all of these sorts of phrases add colour to a language and are clear in meaning to all native speakers. Educated speakers can use such phrases for effect, whether spoken or written, in full awareness that they are rule-breaking. Reminds me of the comedy skit:

“Oh, Old Man River, he don’t do nuttin’, he don’t say nuttin’, he always says nothing. The English language, boys and girls, a beautiful thing.” OK, it was funnier live :slight_smile:

Thanks, ophion, for making me and all the other nitpickers look tolerant in comparison.

“Not” as in what BFM? For a double negative?..
http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/023.html

Ophion,
Logic according to you? It makes perfect sense to millions of North Americans…and most of them, myself included know when to use a double negative and when not to.

Southpaw’s dog is right-handed.

Viva Tempe!

[quote=“wolf_reinhold”]Southpaw’s dog is right-handed.

Viva Tempe![/quote]

Dogism!

I always took “I could care less” as being the sarcastic little brother of “I couldn’t care less”.

Also:

And if that sort of thing that’s technically incorrect gets on your tits, how about stuff that seems blatantly incorrect yet is actually correct, like “inflammable”=“flammable”

The picture is a link; follow it for a full explanation. I did not intend to seem as harsh as I apparently did.

[quote=“Tetsuo”]
Also:
[/quote]

Now, see, that actually makes no sense. “I couldn’t give a fly f*ck?” That picture’s in Chinglish! :astonished:

And a ‘big deal’ to ‘The Caring Continuum’. There’s logic, and there’s language. Want to tell me what sound ‘ough’ makes? Why we have houses and yet we have mice? Oh, I am SO in awe of that graph! Now, did I mean that? Or did I mean the EXACT OPPOSITE? :stuck_out_tongue: