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I've noticed recently that where in England we say "couldn't care less" in the US the negative is avoided and the phrase becomes "could care less". This is rather jarring because of the contradictory semantics. Can anyone confirm this observation, and shed any light on the difference of usage (if it indeed exists)?

Neeku
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David Holden
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  • yes that link does give a fairly thorough discussion. as i'm new here i'm not sure what to do. should i delete the question? – David Holden Aug 07 '14 at 12:38
  • @FumbleFingers: there are lots of Americans who say "couldn't care less". (But also lots who use could.) We think of them as synonymous. – Peter Shor Aug 07 '14 at 12:45
  • @David: Welcome to ELU. I don't think you should delete the question, no. Particularly now someone has answered (which may in fact prevent you deleting). I stand by my closevote, but even if 4 others agree and it does get closed, it may help future visitors find the original. – FumbleFingers Aug 07 '14 at 12:45
  • @FumbleFingers thx – David Holden Aug 07 '14 at 12:46
  • @Peter that is information i didn't have. so an English person in the US would be understood without difficulty. does it sound quaint? this also raises the question of how popular the US usage now is in England. – David Holden Aug 07 '14 at 12:49
  • @Peter: With your background I suppose that's understandable! Presumably you see it as a kind of "quantum logic" statement meaning "The extent to which I care is simultaneously all possible values between not in the slightest* and infinitely"*. – FumbleFingers Aug 07 '14 at 12:50
  • David Mitchell's Soapbox on YouTube – Andrew Leach Aug 07 '14 at 13:08
  • @David: this seems the perfect place to bring up one of Weird Al Yankovitch's latest videos, Word Crimes, where he says "I hate these word crimes Like I could care less That means you do care At least a little". So not all Americans say "could care less. Keep in mind that it is a parody, though. I think couldn't care less is still common enough that it's not quaint-sounding (although I'd guess it's in the minority now). – Peter Shor Aug 07 '14 at 13:08

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You are right that it sounds contradictory, but:

  • The phrase "I couldn’t care less" originated in Britain and made its way to the United States in the 1950s. The phrase "I could care less" appeared in the US about a decade later.

    • In the early 1990s, the well-known Harvard professor and language writer Stephen Pinker argued that the way most people say could care less—the way they emphasize the words—implies they are being ironic or sarcastic.

    • Other linguists have argued that the type of sound at the end of "couldn’t" is naturally dropped by sloppy or slurring speakers.

  • Regardless of the reason people say they could care less, it is one of the more common language peeves because of its illogical nature. To say you could care less means you have a bit of caring left, which is not what the speakers seem to intend. The proper "couldn’t care less" is still the dominant form in print, but "could care less" has been steadily gaining ground since its appearance in the 1960s.