If you could care less, then you obviously care a little bit. But in the context it is usually used it seems to mean "I don't care". If you said "I couldn't care less" this indicates that your level of caring is non-existent. Do you think I'm being pedantic? I couldn't care less.
2006-11-10 15:16:52 · 34 answers · asked by Dr Know It All 5 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
If your phone ain't ringin', that's me not calling.
You will have to have an enormous amount of time on your hands if you expect to understand the zajillions of slang nuances and grammatical abuses of the English language, as spoken by Americans. Honey, I moved from NYC to Florida almost 13 years ago, and I STILL have trouble understanding some of my Southern neighbors.
I don't think you are being pedantic. I think you are being nit-picky (but I couldn't care less, as my give-a-damn is busted).
2006-11-10 15:45:15 · answer #1 · answered by happy heathen 4 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Holy erectile dysfunction Batman!
Edith couldn't take it anymore...she told him wanted a divorce. He corrected her verbiage asking "do you think I'm being pedantic?"
Walking away she simply said "I could care less." Then she moved away, married a Baron
and invaded his country. Shattering all pretenses of defense, she took a dictionary and shoved it down his throat.
Finally the disheveled, pipe smoking tea drinker picked up the Batphone. This was a job for the silly Americans..."hot peas and butter, come get your supper." The GIs filled the sky and saved Civilization.
But you'd never catch a "gentleman" admiting such. Why, that would be the end of it...saying that...those gung ho men saved the King?
Suddenly the Sociey of Most Rightous Uptight Anals came storming into the room (no one knows why they came storming.)
"Ok who has a dictionary? No, one from Oxford?" And with that, all holy heckles broke loose...
2006-11-10 16:23:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The phrase "I could care less" means you really don't have time to listen to what someone is telling you.
The phrase "I couldn't care less" could mean 1. you don't really have time to listen but you will when you do have the time or 2. you care but it is not important to you.
If you had put it in a sentence such as "I could care less if you have a dog" That would mean you don't want to waste your time talking to the person.
A sentence such as "I couldn't care less if it rained" means you want it to rain but it doesn't matter to you if it does.
It all depends on how you phrase it in a sentence.
2006-11-10 15:37:56 · answer #3 · answered by miamac49616 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a kind of sarcasm. It's like saying okay I care this very little bit so I could in fact care a very little bit less.
2006-11-10 15:43:54 · answer #4 · answered by makingthisup 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Probably for the same reason that people tend to say that they're going to 'unthaw' something, when what they really mean is 'thaw' (to 'unthaw' would be to freeze). Carelessness. {Oops.......not trying to be funny there, I can only hope you care less about my choice of word than about what I'm saying.} It happens. Most people, I think, understand what is meant and just let it go, not caring to be bothered with correcting something that most people couldn't care less about anyway.
2006-11-10 15:40:50 · answer #5 · answered by awanderingelf 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The phrase was originally "I COULDN'T care less" but because of the laziness of the American tongue and several prominent personalities making the same mistakes on the idiot box (read TV) it de-volved into "I could care less." But then you also have to take into consideration the humour and self-depreciative sarcasm of the average American... who now would not even notice that they were muttering a sarcastic phrase.
2006-11-10 15:28:57 · answer #6 · answered by LadyDragon 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
NO! this has always bothered me, too! i never say "i could care less". i always say "i couldn't care less". the first always makes me think, well, then you must care at least a little to be able to care less.
i suppose, however, it could be construed as "i could care less....but then why even bother b/c it's so insignificant."
it takes too much effort to iron out...i prefer "couldn't" and will continue to use it.
take care.
EDIT:
oh! and i also get frustrated when people say "nip it in the butt" instead of "nip it in the bud".
2006-11-10 15:28:24 · answer #7 · answered by joey322 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know what you mean and you are completely right. I say I couldn't care less.
2006-11-10 15:26:03 · answer #8 · answered by Classy Granny 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most Americans couldn't careless because they live hollywood lives and deny reality. If they faced reality then they would have to care. By not caring they don't have to face the reality of the worlfd or their place in it.
2006-11-10 16:39:13 · answer #9 · answered by scruff 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to me, not pedantic. It drives me a little nuts when people say that. they do mean they could not care less, but its so common to say it the other way that you know what they mean... like people say "irregardless" all the time
2006-11-10 15:31:23 · answer #10 · answered by hydepark32 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋