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Here's an example: Someone who is attempting to say "I don't see any people wearing blue jumpers anymore" will instead say "I see people wearing blue jumpers anymore".

I'm referring to online comments exclusively. I've never heard anyone actually use this terminology in real life.

This usage appears to have begun relatively recently. Why? It appears to be an American style.

Laurel
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White Prime
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    Americans seem to do this. They start with a meaningful idiomatic phrase then start to omit words from it until it is nonsensical. A good example is "I couldn't care less what he thinks" which has been turned into "I could care less what he thinks" and therefore has its meaning reversed but is still used for its original purpose. Another example is "I went through it with a fine-tooth comb" which has been turned into "I went through it with a tooth comb". All combs have teeth so a tooth comb sounds like something used for dental care. Your sentence is another example. – BoldBen Sep 09 '22 at 03:38
  • @BoldBen It's a mildly annoying, yet somewhat charming, trait of Americans. – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 03:56
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    So you think they meant the sentence with the "not" in it? Are you sure that's what they meant? Isn't it more likely that they meant the sentence without a "not" -- as they said -- and that it's the "any more" that's unusual? See https://english.stackexchange.com/q/240290 https://english.stackexchange.com/q/377705 – Rosie F Sep 09 '22 at 05:26
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    Lumping all Americans together is a little harsh. :-) I’ve never heard this. And hope I never do. – Jim Sep 09 '22 at 07:37
  • @Jim Oh, please don't get me wrong, mate. I certainly don't mean most Americans at all. – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 07:46
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    Linguists have studied "positive anymore" and found that it occurs predominantly in parts of the midwest and the east. Check out the Yale Grammatical Diversity Project for more information and a map of sitings. No doubt migration from that region accounts for its current presence in California. We've found it in both Merced and Redding. https://web.stanford.edu/dept/linguistics/VoCal/grammar.shtml#:~:text=%22Anymore%20my%20kids%20live%20far%20away.%22&text=The%20difference%20is%20simply%20that,the%20midwest%20and%20the%20east. – user 66974 Sep 09 '22 at 07:56
  • @user66974 That's fascinating. And thank you very much. A note: if you ever feel inclined to write that as an answer, I will accept it. – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 08:00
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    I want to read these comments anymore. – Maths Barry Sep 09 '22 at 10:22
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    You attribute the wrong meaning to your example. What "People are wearing blue jumpers anymore" means is "People didn't use to wear blue jumpers, but now they've started doing it." If we want to say they used to wear blue jumpers, but have stopped, we would say "I don't see people wearing blue jumpers anymore," just like the rest of the English-speaking world. – Peter Shor Sep 09 '22 at 10:36
  • @PeterShor With respect, man, I think you're a bit mixed up there. – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 11:46
  • @MathsBarry Charming, lel (I'm admittedly assuming 'lel and 'lol' are allowed here). – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 11:48
  • Just so we're clear, "I could care less" is everyday sarcasm for I couldn't care less: Yeah, like I could care less (= which I couldn't)! See also Like I give a sh!t. Here to say that online standards, except here, are not high anymore. – Yosef Baskin Sep 09 '22 at 12:21
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    @White Prime: I am American, and I don't believe I have ever heard anybody misuse anymore the way you think we Americans misuse it. When we misuse anymore, you can generally replace it by nowadays. See Wikipedia. – Peter Shor Sep 09 '22 at 12:52
  • I suppose it's vaguely possible that the people you see misusing anymore online are non-Americans who have picked up the idea of misusing anymore from Americans, but are misusing it wrong. – Peter Shor Sep 09 '22 at 12:55
  • @PeterShor With due respect, man, have you seen user 66974's comment in this very thread? – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 12:56
  • @White Prime. Did you even look at the Wikipedia link I put in my comment for positive anymore? Wikipedia claims that it means nowadays or from now on. But feel free not to believe either Wikipedia or me. – Peter Shor Sep 09 '22 at 14:42
  • @PeterShor Interesting. – White Prime Sep 09 '22 at 14:45

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