Could care less vs Could NOT care less

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I have often heard or read the statement, "I could care less", when someone is referring to a topic or situation about which they have no interest.

If someone could care less, doesn't that mean that they have some level of caring? Otherwise they would be unable to be less caring.

Should it not be, "I could not care less"? Meaning that they are at the lowest level of caring & are unable to care to a lesser degree than they already do.

& all the best.

 

[Thadeus]

It's amazing to me that it's been 6 months since this discussion ... CorBlimey I think you'll find most of our opinions on this subject in The Caring Thread

~Thadeus

 

[SilentAiche]

like i give a dam

Tim (aka, for now, "the beaver")



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[SantaMufasa]

I couldn't care less.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)

http://www.dasages.com

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Then click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips.

 

[chipperMDW]

It's my pet peeve for someone to make that mistake. The way most people use the expression, your assessment is correct.

However, note that if someone said "I could care less...", putting emphasis on "could" and tailing off, it might be taken as one of:
[ul]
[li]I might be capable of caring less... but not much.[/li]
[li]I'm not at absolute zero caring, but I'm pretty close.[/li]
[/ul]

Of course, no one who says, "I could care less" actually says it like that, so they're just wrong.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Thadeus ... Thanks for The caring thread link ... I did search for could care less & could not care less before posting, but it returned no results". Just did it again & it returned 5. Go figure.


& all the best.

 

[Thadeus]

Not a problem... Like I said, I'm amazed it's been that long.
~Thadeus

 

[Onyxpurr]

What I've seen a lot lately is a misunderstanding of the saying, because couldn't sounds a lot like could.

I think frequently you'll find people misquoting simply because:
1. They heard it incorrectly and just assumed.
2. People, in general, really don't think about what they're saying.

If one simply thought, before they spoke, they would invariably find the appropriate way to say the saying.

 

[tsdragon]

I've been guilty of say "could care less". Never really thought about why. Usually when I say it I emphasize "care" strongly and "less" almost as strongly. Never really thought about why I do that either.

Regardless, people seem to understand what I mean.


Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[AnotherHiggins]

=>Regardless, people seem to understand what I mean.

If you pointed at an elephant and called it a Hippopotamus, I'd know what you mean. I'd also know you were wrong, even though I might not call you on it.

[tt]_____
-John
[/tt]Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.

 

[DrJavaJoe]

If he pointed to an elephant and called it a Hippopotamus, I would call him on it.;-)



Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.

 

[tsdragon]

I didn't say I was right, just that I realized I was doing it and people knew what I meant. I probably won't do it as much now that we've had this discussion though.


Tracy Dryden

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[chipperMDW]

Onyxpurr,

Do you think your reason #1 applies to the behavior described in this thread?
thread1256-1032369

I know your reason #2 does.

 

[Onyxpurr]

Yes, I think both go hand in hand.

It seems today that people take a lot for granted without really questioning where it really came from.

My friends and I have always been big word buffs and usually make play on words or phrases, have discussions about them, and I guess just in general are very inquisitive.

I have many a time assumed a word meant something else (for the longest time I thought approximately meant an estimate of around) however when I heard other people use it, I wanted to question if I was understanding correctly. I usually come out about half and half. (Half the time I'm incorrect, and about half the time other people are using the phrase or word incorrectly.)