Change is inevitable. I even welcome most change and enjoy it. However when it comes to language I seem to dig in my heels and scream “NO!!!” – especially when the change makes no sense to me.
I hear people say “they could care less” about something meaning that they have no regard for what they are referring to. . This drives me crazy. I googled this phrase and found I am certainly not alone – there are online discussions galore regarding this phrase.
It doesn’t even make sense!
The original, and as far as I am concerned, the only correct phrase is “I COULDN'T care less” if indeed you are intending to mean that you don’t care about something. If you couldn’t possibly care less about something, it means you have zero – none – no care for it in the first place. Therefore, saying “I COULDN’T care less” about something means you don’t have any care at all about it in the first place.
On the other hand, if you say “I could care less” that indicates that you do actually have a measure of care to start with. You are saying in fact, I care and I care a certain amount but I could care less. That leaves me to wonder or ask how much care do you have? How much less could you care?
Please people (especially you news anchors and commentators and influential media people–) THINK (!!!) about what you are saying! and what you are intending to say.
For me, I COULD care less regarding the usage of the phrases “I couldn’t care less” and “I could care less”.
Saying you “could care less” while meaning that you don’t care about something is just confusing. (and for me personally – it makes a person sound ignorant!)
Nevertheless – my research shows that it seems to be becoming more acceptable as an idiom in our language – Please – don’t let it happen!
This is a completely unacceptable change!
Summary:
If you DO NOT care at all about something then say you COULDN’T CARE LESS.If you DO care about something and say you COULD CARE LESS then you are leaving me to ask or wonder how much did you care to start with and how less do you care now. So if you choose to say you “could care less” about something, quantify how much and how little you care please, because I will be wondering…
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