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The phrase, "I could care less" is meaningless and should die. Why do I keep hearing people say it?

StevenMichael 5 July 24
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16 comments

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0

PS, I’m with you on this ..other than the strong condemnation. I use it as an intelligence filtering device, if they leave out the ‘nt … they silently lose, in my book. They use it right, which is increasingly rare - serious points ...not quite ‘atheist points,’ but getting there.. It’s a lazy copycat culture, if culture at all 😉

Varn Level 8 July 25, 2018
1

"I could care less" means that one cares at least a certain amount, as there exists a level of care below that which one possesses. "I couldn't care less" means that there is no level of care below that one possesses and that therefore one's care is at the minimum possible level. Both make sense. One expresses an absence of care and the other expresses an unquantified but definite amount. Americans simply say the wrong one sometimes when they wish to express total indifference. Brits never do.

Gareth Level 7 July 25, 2018
0

For the same reason they use "irregardless".

1

Die is a bit harsh. But....

......wait for it

....I couldn’t care less

antman Level 7 July 24, 2018
1

Only some of us are words freaks who pay attention to the literal meaning of words and phrases.

2

I'm curious.

What is your issue with it; that it should be "I couldn't care less" or is it just the expression itself?

Athena Level 8 July 24, 2018

I believe that is the issue with many.

1

There are two such meaningless phrases, which, of all the Americanisms that have crept into British English, I cannot bear.

The subject of this post is one; it’s meaningless in the context in which it’s used. And it’s not new - it was well established when I was at High School in MA in the 1960s.

The other, and the worst, is ‘can I get xxxxx?’. No, you can’t. The person serving you will get it for you - by all means, you can then have it, and can then tell people that you got it. No shop, restaurant, whatever, in which you have to ask for what you want is going to let you help yourself to it, so why ask if you can? This was also well established in the 1960s

Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

The restaurant I was in Sunday let me help myself to the coke ?

I wish I didn't find these things so grating. I don't let them affect my mood, but I can't help noticing them and having them linger, for a moment, as a mild irritation.

One that really makes me want to pummel someone with a water balloon, is "no worries."

"Thank you."

"No worries."

AaaaaaaaH!!!!! *Running toward chocolate...

I have no control of my reaction to words being used in this nonsensical way. If I did, I would probably be 1% happier.

0

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over t ...

3

I couldn't care less about this subject.

0

This is one issue where I could care less.

3

Now we have the new fun one "I could of"

Qualia Level 8 July 24, 2018

When I use talk to text and say “I could have,” it almost always writes “I could of.” Annoying.

@BlueWave omg don't even get me started on autocorrect etc. maybe this is where it's coming from.

@BlueWave enunciate. 😉

2

...because they keep hearing people say it.. 😕

Varn Level 8 July 24, 2018
2

To be correct one should say, "I couldn't care less." I prefer DILIGAF.

JimG Level 8 July 24, 2018
7

Isn't the phrase "I couldn't care less"?

Yup

1

And now Tears for Fears take the stage....... everybody wants to rule the world ???

1

I couldn't care less whether or not this phrase lives or dies, we all know what the expression means so let's move on to more pressing matters.

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