Grammar Lesson #5: How Little Do You Care?

[Chicago Jake]

I know I've brought this up before, but not on this message board, so here goes.

One of my worst pet peeves is when otherwise intelligent and well-educated people will stupidly say "I could care less" when what they really mean is that they don't care at all. I mean, how the fuck could it be that you "could care less" unless you DO care some? It seems obvious to me. If you DON'T care at all, then you COULDN'T care less. But so many people on this misbegotten globe of ours seem to have an opposing point of view. In my opinion, they need to get a mitt and catch a clue.

What say YOU?......Jake

[Ardbeg... innit]

Pretty straightforward to me... if you 'could care less', means that something out there is lower on you 'care' scale and you could in fact care less about something else.

People sometimes just do not listen to themselves, little wonder they sometimes sound stupid to others.

Gordon

[♥ COVID-19♥]

To avoid ambiguity, it might be better to simply say, "I don't give a shit".

[Chicago Jake]

That could be mistaken for a medical condition.......Jake

[Ardbeg... innit]

or is that 'I couldnt give a shit'?

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I think, "I don't TAKE a shit" would be confused for a medical condition.

But that's just the kind of give and take we have here on this very message board.

[Ardbeg... innit]

reinforces the concept "its better to give than to receive"

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Now that would really be the gift that keeps on giving.

[Chicago Jake]

The age-old question: "Why do you say you're TAKING a shit when you're really LEAVING a shit?"

..... that could be another whole grammar lesson, but I'll leave it for others to pose.......Jake

[Ardbeg... innit]

Possession is 9/10ths of the law, and given the similarity to 'marking turf' ... hell if I know

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I could give a rat's ass what you call it.

[Merlot Joe]

How about this.

I don't give a flying fucking! I really don't.


As far as shit is concerned, you can say. I am going to shit. I am going to go shit, I have to shit!

What the fuck am I doing? This is fucking ridiculous. Things are getting a slow here. Talking about shit my be losing my fucking mind, what little I left. I need some air!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joe.

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Just farted. Hope that helps.

[Irish Stu]

admin said:

I know I've brought this up before, but not on this message board, so here goes.

One of my worst pet peeves is when otherwise intelligent and well-educated people will stupidly say "I could care less" when what they really mean is that they don't care at all. I mean, how the fuck could it be that you "could care less" unless you DO care some? It seems obvious to me. If you DON'T care at all, then you COULDN'T care less

Agreed.

But so many people on this misbegotten globe of ours seem to have an opposing point of view. In my opinion, they need to get a mitt and catch a clue

Not quite so Jake, at least not on this side of the globe. To say 'I could care less' is an expression which seems to have found favour only on your side of the Atlantic. It is not something that you will ever hear people say over here.

Simon

[Chicago Jake]

Glad to hear it, Simon. You folks seem to have more respect for the language than the average American does......Jake

P.S. - I wonder if they mangle it that way in the land of Oz?

[Lady Irie]

OMG. . .This is one of the funniest threads! Here I am with my morning tea, still trying to catch up on the threads after being away, and I just about choked reading this. Too funny guys, thanks for the laugh!

Jake - point well taken. I do believe I have been guilty of said offense at times do to nothing but sheer laziness, and I know better. I shall try to be more careful. See, someone does give a shit!

[Merlot Joe]

sunlovers said:

See, someone does give a shit!

Just who are you going to give it to?

BB would be a good choice!!!!


Joe

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I would proudly have it bronzed and displayed in a place of honor.

[Lady Irie]

Perfect, Joe! One problem though, if I recall, there is this little problem with the post office. . . . I understand they have no sense of humor when it comes to this shit.

[Merlot Joe]

sunlovers said:

Perfect, Joe! One problem though, if I recall, there is this little problem with the post office. . . . I understand they have no sense of humor when it comes to this shit.

Maybe UPS or Fed Ex will deliver it for you. ;D ;D ;D ;D They might not be as picky as the USPS.


Joe

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I don't know that they're picky just not ... careful. Remember, put it in a box, not an envelope and mark the box "FRAGILE" (i.e., write on it with felt tip marker -- DO NOT under any circumstances use a rubber stamp!).

[Christinko]

How about a month ago when Bill Gates said the word IRREGARDLESS in an interview on NPR....just made me cringe. Now I expect that kind of word choice from W, but not Mr. Bill.

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Doesn't surprise me a bit. Techies are the worst with the English language (even the ones born here). They're fine with programming languages, but English? Fuhgeddaboudit.

[Ardbeg... innit]

I remember back in the 80's some 'Comp Sci' students lobbied (unsuccessfully) to get the Univ of Michigan to accept computer programming courses for fulfillment of their 'Foreign Language' requirements. You're right BB, Techies (especially from that time period) are the among the worst in communicating with ANY sentient object (I offer Furby as their best effort yet to communicate with us)

[Chicago Jake]

I remember seeing a programming course listed in my college catalogue as "Advanced BASIC." Somehow, that really bothered me!......Jake

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I work with many young programmers who are either recent grads or soon-to-graduate. Reading their e-mails is nothing short of tragic and their concept of UI design is horrifying. Sadly, techies look down on the so-called "soft skills" and this is not discouraged in college.

[Ardbeg... innit]

Unfortunately, many of their Comp Sci professors are from the generation of 80's students, and THOSE profs DONT KNOW ANY BETTER/GIVE A DAMN EITHER!!

[♥ COVID-19♥]

One thing I find particularly irritating from these kids is that business related e - mails that may go out to a number of other people in the company contain text messaging shorthand (e.g., "u r" instead of "you are").

[Ardbeg... innit]

I would be willing to bet that within our lifetimes those shortcuts and a LOT of others will fully incorporate into the base of the language and be perfectly acceptable. In fact I would be willing to bet, unless there is some sort of major Luddite backlash, words that can be text shorthanded will seem a quaint throwback to a 'simplier time' when spelled out in full. For all of its flaws and stupid rules/exceptions, the English language is probably the most flexible and dynamic around.

If I live long enough, I would be willing to bet a complete inability to communicate with my great-great grandchildren, which I may in fact not regret, considering I am 50 and no where close to being a grandfather (I sure as hell hope).

SPEAKING of which... grandfather to be Joe... Update please!

Gordon

[♥ COVID-19♥]

bornagaindruid said:

I would be willing to bet that within our lifetimes those shortcuts and a LOT of others will fully incorporate into the base of the language and be perfectly acceptable.

I seem to remember William Safire saying the very same thing a while back in his On Language column in the Sunday NY Times Magazine. What he basically was saying, too, was that for better or worse, language is a living thing that is subject to ch-ch-change over time -- which is part of the reason why dictionaries are updated periodically.