Actually "Couldn't care less" is originally a british idiom. The Oxford dictionary already recognizes “could care less” as an American colloquialism which has a sarcastic inversion. Where the British version is direct. Most people think it changed in the states because of other yiddish idioms " I should be so lucky" instead of its direct meaning "I am not lucky". "tell me about it" is another similiar american sarcastic saying. Personally I think it has more in common with the saying "I could give a damn". Just because you are in the UK doesn't mean others are wrong. You don't want me to start telling you to take "U"s out of words or call a torch a flashlight.Niode wrote:Also:enderfall wrote: ... and could care less about the iphone and their $150/month service plans.![]()
Couldn't care less! Could care less implies you have the ability to care less. Therefore you actually do care about it. *sigh*
Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
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Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Last edited by pepharytheworm on Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Where's my chippy? There's my chippy.
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Well thank you for enlightening me, that saying always annoyed me but then I've never heard it said the US way verbally, only on forums where sarcastic tone is harder to spot.
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Nobody in the US says "I could care less" in a sarcastic tone. It may have originated as sarcasm, but people don't think enough about what they are saying to realize it doesn't literally mean what they think it does.
We are prepared to live in the plain and die in the plain!
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Welcome to memetic evolution.Hatta wrote:Nobody in the US says "I could care less" in a sarcastic tone. It may have originated as sarcasm, but people don't think enough about what they are saying to realize it doesn't literally mean what they think it does.
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- pepharytheworm
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Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Thats the beauty of language, they change all the time till original meanings are obsolete or obscure. Idioms even more so. Idioms don't have to have literal meaning or definition of the the words that make the idiom up. Its almost like they become one word and not a sentence anymore. Does anyone here say "I could give a damn" in a sarcastic tone, but nonetheless it is a sarcastic statement. No negative is needed because they now have become negative by association, at least in the states.Hatta wrote:Nobody in the US says "I could care less" in a sarcastic tone. It may have originated as sarcasm, but people don't think enough about what they are saying to realize it doesn't literally mean what they think it does.
Want to really blow your mind look how the idiom "beg the question" has changed its meaning.
Where's my chippy? There's my chippy.
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Exactly. There are many words and phrases that are often said incorrectly. It's not all sarcasm.Hatta wrote:Nobody in the US says "I could care less" in a sarcastic tone. It may have originated as sarcasm, but people don't think enough about what they are saying to realize it doesn't literally mean what they think it does.
- "Often" is pronounced as "ofen". The T is silent. Same for the word "soften".
- "Literally" means actually. Stop using it for stuff that didn't actually happen.
- "All intents and purposes" is correct. "All intensive purposes" is incorrect.
- "Forte", meaning one's strong point is pronounced "fort", not "fortay". "Fortay" means loud music.
- "Begs the question" is often used incorrectly too.
http://begthequestion.info/
I should stop. I could go on and on, but I don't want to help further derail this thread.
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AppleQueso
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
I'd chalk this up to dialect more than anything.Inazuma wrote:Exactly. There are many words and phrases that are often said incorrectly. It's not all sarcasm.Hatta wrote:Nobody in the US says "I could care less" in a sarcastic tone. It may have originated as sarcasm, but people don't think enough about what they are saying to realize it doesn't literally mean what they think it does.
- "Often" is pronounced as "ofen". The T is silent. Same for the word "soften".
This is one of my pet peeves. My head literally explodes when I someone uses that word wrong.- "Literally" means actually. Stop using it for stuff that didn't actually happen.
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
No it's just wrong. I know plenty of people from the states and it annoys them too. Plus dsheinem backs me up on it. I think I'd rather take his word over yours. No offence. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the evolution of language, but this just does not mean what people think it means. Same with 'irregardless' that one actually makes me shudder when I hear it.pepharytheworm wrote:Actually "Couldn't care less" is originally a british idiom. The Oxford dictionary already recognizes “could care less” as an American colloquialism which has a sarcastic inversion. Where the British version is direct. Most people think it changed in the states because of other yiddish idioms " I should be so lucky" instead of its direct meaning "I am not lucky". "tell me about it" is another similiar american sarcastic saying. Personally I think it has more in common with the saying "I could give a damn". Just because you are in the UK doesn't mean others are wrong. You don't want me to start telling you to take "U"s out of words or call a torch a flashlight.Niode wrote:Also:enderfall wrote: ... and could care less about the iphone and their $150/month service plans.![]()
Couldn't care less! Could care less implies you have the ability to care less. Therefore you actually do care about it. *sigh*
Marurun wrote:Don’t mind-shart your pants, guys
- pepharytheworm
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Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
How about instead of taking anyones "word for it" (another idiom by the way) you do some independent research from many sources. I will agree that there is debate on the usage of the phrase, but from everything I read "could care less" is used more in the US than "couldn't care less".Niode wrote:No it's just wrong. I know plenty of people from the states and it annoys them too. Plus dsheinem backs me up on it. I think I'd rather take his word over yours. No offence. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the evolution of language, but this just does not mean what people think it means. Same with 'irregardless' that one actually makes me shudder when I hear it.
But the whole point of my remark was pretty much just jumping on you for using how enderfall wrote his thoughts against him and not their intent, which I am sure you plainly understood. Its a cheap method of attack, something lawyers do to twist words around ( another idiom, man we use a lot not even thinking about them). I know you're above that we have had discussions before.
Where's my chippy? There's my chippy.
Re: Geohot: guilty or not guilty?
Please, stop it. Just because most people say the phrase incorrectly, doesn't make it correct! Well, it sorta does I guess, but it shouldn't happen that way.pepharytheworm wrote:How about instead of taking anyones "word for it" (another idiom by the way) you do some independent research from many sources. I will agree that there is debate on the usage of the phrase, but from everything I read "could care less" is used more in the US than "couldn't care less".Niode wrote:No it's just wrong. I know plenty of people from the states and it annoys them too. Plus dsheinem backs me up on it. I think I'd rather take his word over yours. No offence. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the evolution of language, but this just does not mean what people think it means. Same with 'irregardless' that one actually makes me shudder when I hear it.
But the whole point of my remark was pretty much just jumping on you for using how enderfall wrote his thoughts against him and not their intent, which I am sure you plainly understood. Its a cheap method of attack, something lawyers do to twist words around ( another idiom, man we use a lot not even thinking about them). I know you're above that we have had discussions before.
Stop defending ignorance, learn the correct way and change yourself for the better. Niode is trying to help you here.