"Could Not" or "Could" Care Less?

[CenSin 3,250]

"Could not" or "could" care less? As a grammar Nazi, I've noticed the ironic use of "could care less" frequently when the poster probably meant "could not care less." The two phrases with opposite meanings to each other have basically been abused so much they are now both synonymous. Examples:

• And ftr, I could care less about the loop stop.

I could care less what happens in other places its not that im not aware what goes on but thanks ill keep that in Mind.

I could care less about the complaints, I find no issue with the lights themselves, but if it's a state law not to have them up - take them down.

I could care less who people date...

I could care less the farebox recovery ratio on my system.

I could care less either way.

they could care less about the model type...

Back when I was a kid, I walked along 34th Street plenty of times, and saw the M16 & M34, but I could care less where they went.

 

In fact, the proper phrase is used much less often. For the month of December, the 2 uses of "could not care less occurred yesterday and today:

• I couldn't care less what ended up on 2 Avenue as long as they get the job done.

• Those news articles couldn't care less about accuracy.

 

Hmm!

 

I could care less when I come across this ironic misuse of grammar, but are there people who couldn't care more?

EDIT: ↑↑↑ Yeah. Try to figure out what I really meant by the first 4 words. ↑↑↑

 

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/could-couldnt-care-less.aspx

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/could-care-less-versus-couldnt-care-less/

Edited December 24, 2012 by CenSin

[jgood6195 216]

Nice, giving yourself a pat on the back I see.

[XcelsiorBoii4888 1,242]

LOL

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

The first four words mean that you care about it a lot, so it's possible for you to care less. The people who "couldn't care more" means that they have the maximum level of caring about it.

[B35 via Church 9,410]

Bored, aren't you......

 

Either way, the person making either of those statements doesn't have too strong a care about whatever it is they're refusing to care about....

 

I could care less - I possibly care less

I couldn't care less - I do not possibly care less....

 

The person saying "I could care less" is basically one step away from saying "I don't care"

The person saying "I couldn't care less" is basically saying "I don't care"

 

 

 

My point is, saying "could care less" doesn't drastically change the meaning of what's being said... It's not irony at all....

Saying "I could care less" is not saying "I care"....

Edited December 25, 2012 by B35 via Church

[Quill Depot 1,570]

I actually say, "I couldn't care less!" They are both correct.

[peacemak3r 1,351]

Next thing you know, you'll quote half the board for not capitalizing the first letter in every sentence or having them write out the phrase LOL.

 

I couldn't believe you saved so many quotes of something that silly. I couldn't care less if people done that nor could I care less if I were bashed for that.

[GojiMet86 4,697]

I don't mind this one bit. I find it interesting. And besides, it's educational, and then people complain about how bad today's generations are doing so bad in school.

 

So if I don't care about something, then I should be saying "I couldn't care less about" so and so?

[Grand Concourse 2,690]

"I don't care"

better?

[Quill Depot 1,570]

No, "I DON'T GIVE A F***!"

That's better!

[mark1447 685]

[Metro CSW 1,507]

"Don't give two s**ts and a damn!"

 

 

[MHV9218 5,213]

You're right, but in colloquial usage the meaning is generally accepted either way, and it's not worth it to correct it. George Carlin, for example, would say "I give a sh!t!" in response to things he didn't care about, and the audience would break down with laughter since they knew what he meant. As long as the meaning is clear, no use being a pedant about it.

Edited December 25, 2012 by MHV9218

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

 

Took the words out of my mouth... You know if people are going to be PITAs on here about grammar, they should really go after the people that CAN'T write. This is a forum, not friggin college or grammar school and it's meant to be colloquial. Anyone who has a problem with my grammar on here doesn't have to read my posts because I certainly am not changing. Instead of nitpicking with nonsense like this why don't we teach folks the difference between "your" and "you're" and "there", "their" and "they're"? Those are common mistakes that I see on here and it's quite annoying, but you don't see me creating threads about it. Get a grip. Hell a lot of times folks come on here with their smartphones which don't always allow for the best grammar because of the stupid touchscreens. I try to correct my mistakes when I catch them since I do write a lot and quickly but in short **** happens.

 

Unless I'm being paid to double check what I write (which I do when I'm in the office) then this is what you get. If I catch them here and can correct them then great, if not, as long as my message is understood... I've got more important things to worry about and I most certainly know how to write. Another thing that folks fail to realize is that not everyone speaks only English, so sometimes my ideas get caught up in other languages. I'm human, so it happens.

Edited December 25, 2012 by Via Garibaldi 8

[MHV9218 5,213]

why don't we teach folks the difference between "your" and "you're" and "there", "their" and "they're"?

 

 

Why don't we teach folks that the comma goes inside the punctuation marks either? I also wouldn't mind an oxford comma in that sentence, but that's your call... [i could go on for days!]

Edited December 25, 2012 by MHV9218

[Joe 781]

The internet makes pedantry fun. Without it, i'd spend all day polishing the doorknobs in my house.

[CenSin 3,250]

Next thing you know, you'll quote half the board for not capitalizing the first letter in every sentence or having them write out the phrase LOL.

 

I couldn't believe you saved so many quotes of something that silly. I couldn't care less if people done that nor could I care less if I were bashed for that.

 

I saved nothing. I just used the rarely-used board's Search function and put "could care less" in quotes to find all the posts with that phrase and pick out all the ones from today back to December 1. It's not like I keep a log of all these little things.

Edited December 25, 2012 by CenSin

[CenSin 3,250]

"I don't care"

better?

 

No, "I DON'T GIVE A F***!"

That's better!

 

 

The internet makes pedantry fun. Without it, i'd spend all day polishing the doorknobs in my house.

 

 

This whole thread is rife with wit, sarcasm, and irony.

 

Took the words out of my mouth... You know if people are going to be PITAs on here about grammar, they should really go after the people that CAN'T write. This is a forum, not friggin college or grammar school and it's meant to be colloquial. Anyone who has a problem with my grammar on here doesn't have to read my posts because I certainly am not changing. Instead of nitpicking with nonsense like this why don't we teach folks the difference between "your" and "you're" and "there", "their" and "they're"? Those are common mistakes that I see on here and it's quite annoying, but you don't see me creating threads about it. Get a grip. Hell a lot of times folks come on here with their smartphones which don't always allow for the best grammar because of the stupid touchscreens. I try to correct my mistakes when I catch them since I do write a lot and quickly but in short **** happens.

 

Unless I'm being paid to double check what I write (which I do when I'm in the office) then this is what you get. If I catch them here and can correct them then great, if not, as long as my message is understood... I've got more important things to worry about and I most certainly know how to write. Another thing that folks fail to realize is that not everyone speaks only English, so sometimes my ideas get caught up in other languages. I'm human, so it happens.

 

I see I've vexed some people as well. Just so you know, confusing all the homonyms of "your," confusing the homonyms of "their", and misusing expressions like "could care less" are like peas pods growing on the same plant (if not peas in the same pod).

[Aussieinuk 83]

Tell someone who cares , coz I don't.

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

This whole thread is rife with wit, sarcasm, and irony.

 

 

I see I've vexed some people as well. Just so you know, confusing all the homonyms of "your," confusing the homonyms of "their", and misusing expressions like "could care less" are like peas pods growing on the same plant (if not peas in the same pod).

 

Not with me it isn't because I would never use "I could care less" in a formal setting... Misspelling of "your", "you're", etc. is just poor writing regardless of setting.

 

Why don't we teach folks that the comma goes inside the punctuation marks either? I also wouldn't mind an oxford comma in that sentence, but that's your call... [i could go on for days!]

 

Ha! You know you're showing your age with that whole placing of the comma inside the quotation marks.... I personally hate it that way, but there's an old school translator that I work with that insists that she does it that way so me being the project manager I tolerate it. Suffice it to say you two are the only ones I know that use it that way.

[B35 via Church 9,410]

Not with me it isn't because I would never use "I could care less" in a formal setting...

This.

 

Vocally, I would simply say "I don't care".

 

Saying "I could care less" more often than not is used when you're intending to be rude about whatever it is that's being talked about....

It's not about proper grammar at all.....

[Via Garibaldi 8 8,592]

This.

 

Vocally, I would simply say "I don't care".

 

Saying "I could care less" more often than not is used when you're intending to be rude about whatever it is that's being talked about....

It's not about proper grammar at all.....

 

Exactly....

Edited December 25, 2012 by Via Garibaldi 8

[error46146 1,007]

Technically the phrase is "I couldn't care less".

 

Think of it this way: if you "could care less", then go ahead, care less... But if you couldn't care less, then that means that the topic in question is so irrelevant that you really simply couldn't care any less about it.

[-CT1660- 759]

Did someone say.....

 

Dummkopfs!!!

Edited December 25, 2012 by -CT1660-

[checkmatechamp13 2,272]

Took the words out of my mouth... You know if people are going to be PITAs on here about grammar, they should really go after the people that CAN'T write. This is a forum, not friggin college or grammar school and it's meant to be colloquial. Anyone who has a problem with my grammar on here doesn't have to read my posts because I certainly am not changing. Instead of nitpicking with nonsense like this why don't we teach folks the difference between "your" and "you're" and "there", "their" and "they're"? Those are common mistakes that I see on here and it's quite annoying, but you don't see me creating threads about it. Get a grip. Hell a lot of times folks come on here with their smartphones which don't always allow for the best grammar because of the stupid touchscreens. I try to correct my mistakes when I catch them since I do write a lot and quickly but in short **** happens.

 

Unless I'm being paid to double check what I write (which I do when I'm in the office) then this is what you get. If I catch them here and can correct them then great, if not, as long as my message is understood... I've got more important things to worry about and I most certainly know how to write. Another thing that folks fail to realize is that not everyone speaks only English, so sometimes my ideas get caught up in other languages. I'm human, so it happens.

 

 

I highly doubt he was serious with this topic. He knows full well that people aren't going to change their habits because of one thread, And even if they did, there are still a million errors people would make, like saying they're "nauseous" instead of "nauseated" and other mistakes like that, or using the wrong homophone for "Your/you're" (which, BTW, you notice that the mighty grammar Nazi used "homonym" instead of "homophone", because a homonym needs to have the same spelling).

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and now you're going to make some stupid comment about "Oh, and you nitpick as well" when I don't, and you're not exactly innocent of it either. (And notice that for all this supposed "nitpicking" I do, I'm not the one who created this thread).

 

Tell someone who cares , coz I don't.

 

 

Could you care less?