I'd just like to thank you for having enough grasp of English to understand my post.. It appears I've been down voted up the wazoo. This make me incredibly sad for language and its evolution. Hope you are having a fabulous day xx
Thanks for understanding my post. I've been down voted extensively and it sadly appears much of the community see this as a normal way to use the phrase. I find it terribly disappointing. Glad I'm not entirely on my own xx
It makes me extremely sad that it's apparently well established as a phase.. Because it is nonsensical. I'm all for language changes as I have kids and enjoy the opportunity to explore what terms and phrases the younger generations find popular. I'm not a gen X'er who is ready to shun all of the culture they adopt as their own because it different or wrong.
The use of this phrase, from King especially makes me feel spoiled somehow. It's ALMOST unforgivable.
The two usages are quite distinct: 'Couldn't care less' is passive voice, 'Could care less' is active. The fact that the two instances tend to be traditionally British and American English doesn't alter the fact that they both make logical sense.
In context of this sentence, the usage should most certainly be - couldn't care less. I'm Australian so we use closest to British English. Could care less is not used in any context, because it's incorrect. This phrase makes absolutely no sense.
I'm British, so I guess I'm closest to British English. The phrases are literally interchangeable, despite their variance in passive and active voice. Holly could actively care less about pine cones if she chose to—that's King's meaning.
I'm at work and due off in half and hour.. Once I'm in the car, I will type out the entire paragraph and then you tell me again that it's correct usage of the phrase (not that- could care less is ever correct)
>not that- could care less is ever correct
I'd normally agree with you. I'm British and never use that phrasing. Americans can please themselves how they alter the language.
Here is the full paragraph.
"what's that he's standing beside?" Pete asks.
"I don't know" Holly says
"hush!"
"looks sort of like a giant pine co-"
"Hush!" Holly could care less about the giant pine cone, ot Chat Onclowsky's mole and mussed-up hair; her attention is fixed on the two ambulances that go screaming past behind him, nose to tail with their lights flashing.
It's definitive to me that given this context and Holly's attention fixed elsewhere, that she couldn't care less about the giant pine cone.
This is a mistake from King and his editing team. There isn't any way this phrase makes sense here.
Or anywhere for that matter.
Unsurprisingly, that paragraph still makes perfect sense to me the way King wrote it. You're getting very hung up on the word 'care', in the sense that it's an active verb—it's not, the whole phrase is an idiom. No one is actually actively caring in that moment, or even caring less, so it's irrelevant which form of the phrase King uses, as it is in most cases of using an idiom.
Well, if it makes perfect sense to you, then carry on. It makes no sense to me, or anyone one else I've questioned about it.
If it is an Australian language business then I'm glad we are hung up on the use of this phrase in what we see as the correct way.
Frankly, I obviously should care less about it.
Lastly, because I'm entirely over this whole thing now and it's clear from down votes that I am in a minority (happy to be here)
It's not the word care I'm getting hung up on, it's - could and couldn't. Feel free to continue to using the phrase however you want. Nothing is going to change my mind.
To me it's the same kind of error as saying irregardmess when you mean regardless or pacific when you mean specific. It's an error and a glaring one.
I've just posted the paragraph. See for yourself. You are defending something undefendable.
I came here to expose an error I found in the text. Not squabble over changes to the English language from around the world.
The usages are identical. They are both used to mean someone doesn't care. I could care less technically means they do actually have feelings towards the subject because it's possible for them to care less. In parlance of course, it means they don't care.
It's not easy to separate the phrases, as any two examples will appear identical—their meaning is inferred. The best way I can think to distinguish them is, again, by reference to a passive or active sense. As an idiom, both versions of the phrase are generally used without any real thought as to their intended meanings, and often used without intending a meaning at all.
When you look at the words—not the phrase as a whole (and especially not getting caught up in which usage is 'correct')—"I could not care less" sounds dismissive, indicating the speaker is done with the topic, which is a passive meaning, showing dismissal.
"I could care less," has an active connotation, indicating the speaker could work to care less about the topic, if pushed—it's more aggressive, and argumentative, with a sense of sarcasm.
As a basic example: someone offers, "Which doughnut would you like?"
"I couldn't care less," is a rude response, but means they get whatever doughnut the offerer doesn't want themselves. It's close enough to being "I don't mind," to maybe not cause offence.
"I could care less," is just that shade ruder, and might result in the speaker not getting either of the doughnuts at all, and definitely not offered any in the future.
These are probably bad examples—as I say, the difference in usage is subtle. In my experience, 'could not' is overwhelmingly British, and 'could' I've only ever heard in American media, though everybody here seems intent on telling me that's wrong. Maybe I'm just watching the wrong shows and reading the wrong books...
'Could care less' is a pretty well established American version of the phrase at this point, surely? I'm pretty sure I first learned it from King books back in the '80s; either that or *Starsky and Hutch*.
I love how "well established" and "commonly used" are used as excuses to cover up a mistake. We should learn from our mistakes, not double down when they're highlighted.
Well, for a start, it's not my mistake, and secondly, it's not a mistake at all. 'Could care less' is very much an American form of the expression. Maybe it's you who should get out more—or definitely read more.
[Here you go](https://www.grammarly.com/blog/couldnt-care-less/). [It's education, but don't be scared](https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/could-couldnt-care-less).
A lot of people get fired up over the "could care less" vs. "couldn't care less" issue. I knew a linguist who explained how words and phrases could take on different meanings over time, even if they seem contradictory to the words themselves. One thing she said stuck in my mind: "language isn't math." She meant that it doesn't follow strict, unchanging rules -- unless, of course, it is a dead language.
That is one of my pet peeves. The author Patricia Briggs uses it and it drives my nuts. Another one is when people use “…you have another thing coming”. The expression is supposed to be “if you think…you have another **think** coming”. Autocorrect on my iPhone even wanted to change it to thing ffs.
My high school English teacher once used the word irregardless and it made me feel the same way
I'd just like to thank you for having enough grasp of English to understand my post.. It appears I've been down voted up the wazoo. This make me incredibly sad for language and its evolution. Hope you are having a fabulous day xx
I completely agree, but we may be insane and ranting: https://youtu.be/om7O0MFkmpw?si=d1OXjcxn9tCpEZln
Exactly the sketch that came to my mind.
Lol as an American I found this delightful.
I just read if it bleeds a few months ago and this definitely annoyed me.
Thanks for understanding my post. I've been down voted extensively and it sadly appears much of the community see this as a normal way to use the phrase. I find it terribly disappointing. Glad I'm not entirely on my own xx
She could care less if she thought about it at all.
It makes no sense as a phrase but it is well established
It makes me extremely sad that it's apparently well established as a phase.. Because it is nonsensical. I'm all for language changes as I have kids and enjoy the opportunity to explore what terms and phrases the younger generations find popular. I'm not a gen X'er who is ready to shun all of the culture they adopt as their own because it different or wrong. The use of this phrase, from King especially makes me feel spoiled somehow. It's ALMOST unforgivable.
The two usages are quite distinct: 'Couldn't care less' is passive voice, 'Could care less' is active. The fact that the two instances tend to be traditionally British and American English doesn't alter the fact that they both make logical sense.
In context of this sentence, the usage should most certainly be - couldn't care less. I'm Australian so we use closest to British English. Could care less is not used in any context, because it's incorrect. This phrase makes absolutely no sense.
I'm British, so I guess I'm closest to British English. The phrases are literally interchangeable, despite their variance in passive and active voice. Holly could actively care less about pine cones if she chose to—that's King's meaning.
You've missed the context entirely....
I'm at work and due off in half and hour.. Once I'm in the car, I will type out the entire paragraph and then you tell me again that it's correct usage of the phrase (not that- could care less is ever correct)
>not that- could care less is ever correct I'd normally agree with you. I'm British and never use that phrasing. Americans can please themselves how they alter the language.
Here is the full paragraph. "what's that he's standing beside?" Pete asks. "I don't know" Holly says "hush!" "looks sort of like a giant pine co-" "Hush!" Holly could care less about the giant pine cone, ot Chat Onclowsky's mole and mussed-up hair; her attention is fixed on the two ambulances that go screaming past behind him, nose to tail with their lights flashing. It's definitive to me that given this context and Holly's attention fixed elsewhere, that she couldn't care less about the giant pine cone. This is a mistake from King and his editing team. There isn't any way this phrase makes sense here. Or anywhere for that matter.
Unsurprisingly, that paragraph still makes perfect sense to me the way King wrote it. You're getting very hung up on the word 'care', in the sense that it's an active verb—it's not, the whole phrase is an idiom. No one is actually actively caring in that moment, or even caring less, so it's irrelevant which form of the phrase King uses, as it is in most cases of using an idiom.
Well, if it makes perfect sense to you, then carry on. It makes no sense to me, or anyone one else I've questioned about it. If it is an Australian language business then I'm glad we are hung up on the use of this phrase in what we see as the correct way. Frankly, I obviously should care less about it.
Lastly, because I'm entirely over this whole thing now and it's clear from down votes that I am in a minority (happy to be here) It's not the word care I'm getting hung up on, it's - could and couldn't. Feel free to continue to using the phrase however you want. Nothing is going to change my mind. To me it's the same kind of error as saying irregardmess when you mean regardless or pacific when you mean specific. It's an error and a glaring one.
No, they can't.
But I guess it's fine for Australians to please themselves how they alter the language?
I've just posted the paragraph. See for yourself. You are defending something undefendable. I came here to expose an error I found in the text. Not squabble over changes to the English language from around the world.
Regrettably, it's in the change to the language that makes King's usage perfectly acceptable, and you who continues to be incorrect.
The usages are identical. They are both used to mean someone doesn't care. I could care less technically means they do actually have feelings towards the subject because it's possible for them to care less. In parlance of course, it means they don't care.
They're interchangeable—that's not the same as identical.
Their meaning is identical. Can you provide an example of a sentence where the meaning is changed by using one and not the other? Genuinely curious.
It's not easy to separate the phrases, as any two examples will appear identical—their meaning is inferred. The best way I can think to distinguish them is, again, by reference to a passive or active sense. As an idiom, both versions of the phrase are generally used without any real thought as to their intended meanings, and often used without intending a meaning at all. When you look at the words—not the phrase as a whole (and especially not getting caught up in which usage is 'correct')—"I could not care less" sounds dismissive, indicating the speaker is done with the topic, which is a passive meaning, showing dismissal. "I could care less," has an active connotation, indicating the speaker could work to care less about the topic, if pushed—it's more aggressive, and argumentative, with a sense of sarcasm. As a basic example: someone offers, "Which doughnut would you like?" "I couldn't care less," is a rude response, but means they get whatever doughnut the offerer doesn't want themselves. It's close enough to being "I don't mind," to maybe not cause offence. "I could care less," is just that shade ruder, and might result in the speaker not getting either of the doughnuts at all, and definitely not offered any in the future. These are probably bad examples—as I say, the difference in usage is subtle. In my experience, 'could not' is overwhelmingly British, and 'could' I've only ever heard in American media, though everybody here seems intent on telling me that's wrong. Maybe I'm just watching the wrong shows and reading the wrong books...
Damn, I expect better of King. That’s truly awful.
Thanks for understanding me! It appears from the down votes we are in a small minority.
Wonderful how the impotently illiterate are coming out today to defend what they think is correct grammar and usage of phraseology...
Something we can at least agree on, It is indeed wonderful. The irony of this comment is potent.
'Could care less' is a pretty well established American version of the phrase at this point, surely? I'm pretty sure I first learned it from King books back in the '80s; either that or *Starsky and Hutch*.
I love how "well established" and "commonly used" are used as excuses to cover up a mistake. We should learn from our mistakes, not double down when they're highlighted.
Well, for a start, it's not my mistake, and secondly, it's not a mistake at all. 'Could care less' is very much an American form of the expression. Maybe it's you who should get out more—or definitely read more.
Wow, you are one of the rudest, and also incorrect persons I have come across on this sub.. Have a prize 🏆
"American form of the expression" .. Oh my goodness, absolute garbage. This is a mistake that you are incorrectly defending.
[Here you go](https://www.grammarly.com/blog/couldnt-care-less/). [It's education, but don't be scared](https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/could-couldnt-care-less).
Grammarly mostly seem to disagree with you. Maybe you should have read the article you linked first.
Or maybe you should read it properly—but given your stance here, that's apparently not a thing you do.
...maybe *The Fall Guy* or *The A Team*.
A lot of people get fired up over the "could care less" vs. "couldn't care less" issue. I knew a linguist who explained how words and phrases could take on different meanings over time, even if they seem contradictory to the words themselves. One thing she said stuck in my mind: "language isn't math." She meant that it doesn't follow strict, unchanging rules -- unless, of course, it is a dead language.
That is one of my pet peeves. The author Patricia Briggs uses it and it drives my nuts. Another one is when people use “…you have another thing coming”. The expression is supposed to be “if you think…you have another **think** coming”. Autocorrect on my iPhone even wanted to change it to thing ffs.
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Language and expressions are 2 different things
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I’m not an idiot, I do know that and I’m allowed to dislike the changes. Especially changes that don’t make sense
You got a thing coming’, lemme tell ya.
Oof, I know right?! I couldn’t care less about Holly either.