American English/British English question
Oct 4, 2018, 10:04 am
#46
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When someone says, 'I could care less', what is implied is that while it is possible that I could care less, I certainly don't care very much about whatever we are referring to. Unlike, 'I couldn't care less' which can only be exclusive to one thing, 'I could care less' leaves the door open to there being multiple things about which 'I could care less.' It makes far more sense to say, 'I could care less' than to say 'I couldn't care less' unless it is indeed the one thing in the world about which you 'couldn't care less.
A favourite example of something similar people say in regards to travel is, 'it is the most beautiful X in the world.' Bora Bora is often said to be the most beautiful island in the world. But the only way someone could truly make that statement about Bora Bora would be if they had seen every island in the world and even then, it would only be their opinion, not something that could be proven to be true in the view of everyone. So the correct use of English in that case would be to say something like, 'Bora Bora is the most beautiful island, in my opinion, that I have seen so far.'
People often misuse words or phrases when trying to say something, because they have not thought through the logic of what they are saying. Your example, is a prime example of just that.
Oct 4, 2018, 10:21 am
#47
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Oct 4, 2018, 10:44 am
#48
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Warwickshire where "Warwick" is pronounced "Worrick", and "shire" is pronounced "shear" (as it is for all the other shires).
Bournemouth where "mouth" is pronounced "muth" (as it is for all the other mouths).
Bournemouth where "mouth" is pronounced "muth" (as it is for all the other mouths).
Oct 4, 2018, 12:16 pm
#49
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To say, 'I couldn't care less' is saying that there is nothing in the world about which I could care less. Do you really believe that about anything? Is there really nothing else in the world you just might care less about? If it made sense to say, 'I couldn't care less', then there could only be ONE thing that you could apply that to. Does that make sense to you?
When someone says, 'I could care less', what is implied is that while it is possible that I could care less, I certainly don't care very much about whatever we are referring to. Unlike, 'I couldn't care less' which can only be exclusive to one thing, 'I could care less' leaves the door open to there being multiple things about which 'I could care less.' It makes far more sense to say, 'I could care less' than to say 'I couldn't care less' unless it is indeed the one thing in the world about which you 'couldn't care less.
A favourite example of something similar people say in regards to travel is, 'it is the most beautiful X in the world.' Bora Bora is often said to be the most beautiful island in the world. But the only way someone could truly make that statement about Bora Bora would be if they had seen every island in the world and even then, it would only be their opinion, not something that could be proven to be true in the view of everyone. So the correct use of English in that case would be to say something like, 'Bora Bora is the most beautiful island, in my opinion, that I have seen so far.'
People often misuse words or phrases when trying to say something, because they have not thought through the logic of what they are saying. Your example, is a prime example of just that.
When someone says, 'I could care less', what is implied is that while it is possible that I could care less, I certainly don't care very much about whatever we are referring to. Unlike, 'I couldn't care less' which can only be exclusive to one thing, 'I could care less' leaves the door open to there being multiple things about which 'I could care less.' It makes far more sense to say, 'I could care less' than to say 'I couldn't care less' unless it is indeed the one thing in the world about which you 'couldn't care less.
A favourite example of something similar people say in regards to travel is, 'it is the most beautiful X in the world.' Bora Bora is often said to be the most beautiful island in the world. But the only way someone could truly make that statement about Bora Bora would be if they had seen every island in the world and even then, it would only be their opinion, not something that could be proven to be true in the view of everyone. So the correct use of English in that case would be to say something like, 'Bora Bora is the most beautiful island, in my opinion, that I have seen so far.'
People often misuse words or phrases when trying to say something, because they have not thought through the logic of what they are saying. Your example, is a prime example of just that.
I apologise if my light-hearted banter offended you.
Oct 4, 2018, 12:18 pm
#50
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Oct 4, 2018, 1:23 pm
#51
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Oct 4, 2018, 2:24 pm
#52
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Oct 4, 2018, 2:29 pm
#53
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Oct 4, 2018, 2:46 pm
#54
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Oct 4, 2018, 3:43 pm
#55
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Oct 4, 2018, 3:49 pm
#56
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Oct 4, 2018, 10:37 pm
#58
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I'm getting quite the education! Good to know I'm probably going mess up on the ~shire-somewhere. I've known what a fortnight is since I snuck a Barbara Cartland "book" from my Grandmother when I was far too young to be reading that sort of thing. One word that got me, the first time I was in Ireland, was "quay"; I knew what it was but my pronunciation was way off. As to the could/could not, I say couldn't, are contractions commonly used in the UK?
Oct 5, 2018, 12:08 am
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Oct 5, 2018, 12:11 am
#60
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You mentioning "quay" reminded me of this other one which I guess you are unlikely to come across but "buoy" is pronounced "boy" and not "boo-eee". I'll leave the phonetics to the international phonetic alphabet chaps when they are released from their darkened rooms!