[macintologist]

I've noticed that a lot of people on MacNN say "I could care less"

THIS IS INCORRECT.


credit for image

Please, from now on, say "I couldn't care less" instead of "I could care less"

I want fellow Mac users to speak intelligently, and not be stupid like the PC masses.

Thanks.

(PS, you can practice on this thread )

[nredman]

**** you!

*just kidding*

[chabig]

My wife says "I could care less" and she'll never change.

[macintologist]

Btw, this is proof that the PC masses are stupid idiots.

Google:

I couldn't care less - 143,000 results
I could care less - 241,000 results.

Idiots!!

Let's not be like them!

[historylme]

I care less and less.

[invisibleX]

Technically both are correct, but couldn't has more impact.

[zizban]

Perhaps you could care less but you would be sucked into a black hole of no caring where the laws of caring are twisted to shreds.

[Mafia]

who cares ..

[Buckaroo]

What ever!

[SimpleLife]

Its nuts!

[ghporter]

It's a matter of degree, and the phrase "I could care less" is useful. If confronted with an issue that I have (let's say) 1% interest in, I could say "I could care less" and express that, were I motivated to do so, I could actually feel less interest in the subject. On the other hand, something I have absolutely no interest in would generate "I couldn't care less." In other words, "I could care less" is insulting, whereas "I couldn't care less" is simply dismissive.

I'm serious with this-both phrases are useful and valid.

[Kilbey]

Irregardless, I hear it was supposably so people could give their opinion without acting like they cared much about what someone was saying..

[TailsToo]

Already say that. thanks.

[macintologist]

Originally Posted by TailsToo

Already say that. thanks.

Want a medal?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Kilbey

Irregardless...

Are you intending to open up yet another can of worms ?

Can anyone explain what "Irregardless" is supposed to mean ?
(And I do understand the concept of "Regardless", thank you very much !)

-t

[RonnieoftheRose]

That's because posters, especially Americans, speak Internet English as opposed to US English or British English. Each derivation becomes worse and more nonsensical as surfers simply copy phrases they see others using without thinking about them. It's like those religious posters who copy each other to form a unified force against the heathen should any religious debates turn up.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Are you intending to open up yet another can of worms ?

Can anyone explain what "Irregardless" is supposed to mean ?
(And I do understand the concept of "Regardless", thank you very much !)

-t

Did you notice how he purposely used both 'irregardless' and 'supposably', two non-existing words, in the same sentence, in order to prove a point in a thread that's about incorrect language usage?

Edit: Correcting myself: 'Supposably' is a word, just misused in this connection.

[Oisín]

Interesting WorldWideWords page about this.

He makes a good point about how this phrase might have been coined (since it was clearly not out of logic). Also, since more people (in the US at least) seem to use this wrong form than do the correct form, I don't really think you can call it an incorrect form anymore. It's become a fixed phrase with a certain meaning, and the fact that it originates in incorrect grammar usage doesn't matter much anymore. There are many phrases that originated as incorrect language usage, but are now seen as simply fixed phrases for which grammatical rules don't apply. I had an example in mind a moment ago, but now I can't think of it anymore... damn.

[mydog8mymac]

In a losely related note, why do flammable and inflammable mean the same thing?

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by mydog8mymac

In a losely related note, why do flammable and inflammable mean the same thing?

As always, dictionary.com has the answer:

Historically, flammable and inflammable mean the same thing. However, the presence of the prefix in- has misled many people into assuming that inflammable means �not flammable� or �noncombustible.� The prefix -in in inflammable is not, however, the Latin negative prefix -in, which is related to the English -un and appears in such words as indecent and inglorious. Rather, this -in is an intensive prefix derived from the Latin preposition in. This prefix also appears in the word enflame. But many people are not aware of this derivation, and for clarity's sake it is advisable to use only flammable to give warnings.

[chabig]

Originally Posted by mydog8mymac

In a losely related note, why do flammable and inflammable mean the same thing?

I found this on another website:

"Inflammable" is the original word picked up from French and has always meant "liable to catch fire". The French word itself orignated from the latin verb "inflammare" (to catch fire). At some stage in the English language evolution, some people may have begin to simplify it by saying just "flammable". So it is not the last which took a prefex, it is Inflammable which was shortened. In French no such a shortcut exists.

Chris

[Kilbey]

Originally Posted by Ois�n

Did you notice how he purposely used both 'irregardless' and 'supposably', two non-existing words, in the same sentence, in order to prove a point in a thread that's about incorrect language usage?

Edit: Correcting myself: 'Supposably' is a word, just misused in this connection.

DING DING DIGNG!!! Winner!!!

[Zimphire]

I couldn't care less about this thread.

[MaxPower2k3]

Originally Posted by Zimphire

I couldn't care less about this thread.

I could.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Zimphire

I couldn't care less about this thread.

In Soviet Russia, this thread could care less about you

[SimpleLife]

Originally Posted by Ois�n

In Soviet Russia, this thread could care less about you

Ain't it?

[Eriamjh]

Irregardless of how much you care, you still read this thread!

[ManOfSteal]

Yeah.

[TailsToo]

Originally Posted by macintologist

Want a medal?

As long as it's not the new dollar coin!

[storer]

I've always said it correctly... i'm pretty strict on that sort of thing.

[11011001]

I know that "I couldn't care less" is the correct usage, but what's wrong with "I could care less". Doesn't it inductively imply that one does not care?

If I can care less, then at that point of caring less, I can care less than I care less.. etc.. to zero.

So, what's wrong with it?

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by 11011001

If I can care less, then at that point of caring less, I can care less than I care less.. etc.. to zero.

Well, you're not saying that you do care less, just that you could theoretically care less... it is illogical, but as I said above, it's so commonly used (and never misunderstood) that we can think of it as a fixed, if illogical, phrase.

[lavar78]

Originally Posted by Ois�n

Well, you're not saying that you do care less, just that you could theoretically care less... it is illogical, but as I said above, it's so commonly used (and never misunderstood) that we can think of it as a fixed, if illogical, phrase.

It would work just fine if people changed the tone of the phrase. Verbally, it would be sarcasm if it came across as "I (theoretically) could care less (but I doubt it)."

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Kilbey

DING DING DIGNG!!! Winner!!!

If Ois�n is the winner, are you the loser ?

-t

[Kilbey]

Originally Posted by turtle777

If Ois�n is the winner, are you the loser ?

-t

Nope, you are.

I was an innocent bystander.

[MilkmanDan]

meh

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Kilbey

Nope, you are.
I was an innocent bystander.

I know, it must be hard enough to just be Kilbey.

-t

[wdlove]

It is part of faith to care for your fellow human being. God first loved us, so that we might love.

[d4nth3m4n]

so make a thread about it.

[Kilbey]

Originally Posted by turtle777

I know, it must be hard enough to just be Kilbey.

-t

Huh? Nope, it's a natural thing. The Kilbey is a tame beast.

[Myriad]

"I couldn't care less" does not roll off the tongue nearly as easily as "I could care less". I use the latter based on that fact alone. The fact that some people are bugged by it is an added bonus.

[macintologist]

bump! Budster101 used it in the Star wars thread. Must people be reminded again???

[turtle777]

OMGWTFBBQ!!!!!!1111oneoneleven

Are you going to bump this thread everytime someone uses it ?

-t

[nredman]

Originally Posted by turtle777

OMGWTFBBQ!!!!!!1111oneoneleven

Are you going to bump this thread everytime someone uses it ?

-t

we'll see, i plan on using "i couldn't care less" every couple days just to piss him off

[Oisín]

I've seen it used in at least ten differen threads since this thread was last up. The only difference is that now, every time I see it, I can't help but think of it as an ironic reference to this thread

[Kenneth]

I like this thread.. mphh

[jonasmac]

too. much. free. time.

[TheJoshu]

Originally Posted by macintologist

Want a medal?

Based on the purpose of this thread, I'd think you'd be offering them.

[Kerrigan]

Another expression that people misuse a lot is "begs the question". If you try to interpret it literally, it makes no sense. Dogs beg for food, people beg for forgiveness, but it doesn't make sense that an idea or concept would beg for a question. I see the expression misused all the time on blogs like Engadget, when the author wants to sound witty and critical, but instead it just leaves us with the impression that his understanding of English is at best average.

Literally is also misused a lot. Most people seem to think that it means "absolutely", which is of course wrong.

Finally, the last gripe I have is about the word "their", as in, "A person has a right to their privacy". You should use "his", "her", or "his or her" (if you want to be gender-neutral).

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

Another expression that people misuse a lot is "begs the question". If you try to interpret it literally, it makes no sense. Dogs beg for food, people beg for forgiveness, but it doesn't make sense that an idea or concept would beg for a question. I see the expression misused all the time on blogs like Engadget, when the author wants to sound witty and critical, but instead it just leaves us with the impression that his understanding of English is at best average.

'Begs the question' is an idiom. Idioms are often only semi-logical, or not logical at all, if you analyse or interpret them literally, or word-by-word: that's what makes them idioms. The dictionary does have it:

“1 to make sb want to ask a question that has not yet been answered: All of which begs the question as to who will fund the project. 2 to talk about sth as if it were definitely true, even though it might not be: These assumptions beg the question that children learn languages more easily than adults.”


Besides, I think it makes sense just fine that an idea or a concept, or rather, the facts of a case, should beg for a question to be asked.