Which is right? "I could care less" ...?

Question

I hear people say that a lot, and it seems to me to mean that they DO care, at least somewhat. The correct way, to say that you could not possibly care any less than you already do, is "I COULDN'T care less." So anyhoo, my question is, does it irk you to hear people say "I could care less" ? It does me.

Answer 1

Vegan is right, it is said with a slightly sarcastic edge, as in: "I could care less - but it would be difficult...."

Most people who use it wouldn't know exactly why 'it works', nor indeed most people who hear it, but speaker and listener understand its meaning. That it resembles "I couldn't care less" tends to reinforce its usage.

Only we 'word-pullers-apart' get confused when we tease out the components (as Vegan points out) on the page where 'spoken English' sometimes (often) looks absurd. What the use of this phrase proves in fact is that speakers of English aren't stupid or 'abusing the language', but actually making use of it in 'strange and marvellous ways', just as they've always done.

Language evolves, otherwise we'd still be speaking Old English. Relax and enjoy the diversity.

Answer 2

It always "irks" me when people use phrases that they don't know the meaning of the phrase, and when you try to ask them what the meant they get annoyed. The art of communication is being lost because of busy schedules, email, and instant messenger.

Answer 3

yes, i agree,, if they say "i could care less" then there is a point of caring there,, and a point of less caring they could reach,,,,

its just like another saying,,, "f,,, you" to me,,,, that makes no sense at all,,, unless you want to be with the person,,,,, and you use that word to represent being with someone,,,,,,, a better saying would be "f,,, yourself"

Answer 4

Irregardless is my favorite.

I also like "you know" and "like"

You know, when I like get out of my like car and like walk across the like lawn irregardless of whether it is like wet or not.

Now if a sentence like that won't push you over the edge you are better anchored than I.

And guess what, Yahoo spell checker will accept irregardless as a valid word.

Have a nice day.

Answer 5

It (I could care less) is supposed to be said sarcastically.

It doesn't work in writing.

Answer 6

(((Seals))) I'll agree with you that our citizens, on the whole, know too little about the rest of the world. YA, you, Aggy, KeithZ, Jabberwock (where is he) and others along with Google Earth have taught me much. Thanks edit: what Faeden said below me is basically true.

Answer 7

i couldn't care less

Answer 8

my husband and i went round and round on that one. I think the person who said the tone of voice makes it is correct.

Answer 9

Nah, I'm over it...there's lots of weird quirks about language.

Answer 10

i believe "I couldn't care less" is right