Which one of these is correct? Majority of people I hear use it go with option 1.

1) I could care less. Sounds to me like you have more caring you could do, but does this in a round about way somehow make the point? It seems to imply you do care, somewhat. I think I've thought deeply on it once and kinda saw a way it works. That could have been a dream though, and I haven't figured that out again.

2) I couldn't care less. Sounds to me like no matter what, there's no more amount of not caring possible.

Couldn't

Couldn't

I’ll go with couldn’t also.

"Couldn't" and it's not even debatable. "Could" is not correctly expressing the idea

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
"Couldn't" and it's not even debatable. "Could" is not correctly expressing the idea

This^. It's one of my pet peeves along with people who say "I seen."

quote:

Originally posted by Slippery Pete:
2) I couldn't care less. Sounds to me like no matter what, there's no more amount of not caring possible.

Hit the mark. You're at the absolute bottom of caring, no more shits to give.

IMO

#1 states, while you could care less, the subject matter (object) is not worth the effort to care less.

Although on the surface, is seems like an oxymoron or double negative (to some explanations I have heard folks give), I think is is said as in insult to the object.

#2 If you could not care less, the opposite is that you could care more.

Therefore, I say #1 has the more powerful intent of derision of the object, but that #2 is more widely used as it is understood as your definition is put.

But what do I know, I'm a monkey. All I can do is give or not give a shit.

Couldn't.

'Could care less' makes no sense.

quote:

Originally posted by Slippery Pete:
I could care less.

Under what circumstances would you want someone to know that you're capable of caring less about something? "I couldn't care less" is equivalent to "I don't care."

You know, I could care less about this thread, but I won't.

#2 is correct, but I have always interpreted #1 as typical American sarcasm.

It is not unlike telling someone "fat chance" when really one is saying "slim chance". In our sarcastic slang, fat chance and slim chance effectively mean the same thing. I interpret #1 and #2 in the same way.



.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
But what do I know, I'm a monkey. All I can do is give or not give a shit.

But you could throw it (if giving one).
...and I couldn't care less...

quote:

Which one of these is correct? Majority of people I hear use it go with option 1.

Probably the same folks who write "would of", or "defiantly"...

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
IMO

#1 states, while you could care less, the subject matter (object) is not worth the effort to care less.

Although on the surface, is seems like an oxymoron or double negative (to some explanations I have heard folks give), I think is is said as in insult to the object.

#2 If you could not care less, the opposite is that you could care more.

Therefore, I say #1 has the more powerful intent of derision of the object, but that #2 is more widely used as it is understood as your definition is put.

So this is the deeper level of analysis I must have arrived at in my revelation and contemplation on the matter at some point, possibly a dream. I'm still trying to get my head around it though. It's working on a whole different level.

Both sayings are correctly phrased, the issue is how much the person using them cares.

The listener gets the meaning, irregardless of which one is used.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

Probably the same folks who write "would of", or "defiantly"...

Or "irregardless".

the only other one that really gets me is the,

"9AM in the morning" folks.

'Butt naked' or 'buck naked'?