Finally, someone agrees with me concerning the problem with the often-maligned and often-used phrase, "I couldn't care less." I have tried to explain this linguistic error and it often takes the form of the following dialogue:
Mr. Brandt: If you use the word things in your paper, I'll make you rewrite that sentence. That word is too general, too nebulous.
Snarky, foolish sophomore (forgive the redundancy): I could care less.
Mr. Brandt: So you do care?
SFS: No. I just said I could care less.
Mr. Brandt: That means you care, because you could care less than you currently care.
SFS: No, it means I don't care about your things rule.
Mr. Brandt: Then you need to say, I couldn't care less. That indicates all remnants of care have vanished.
SFS: Indicates? What does that mean.
Mr. Brandt: It means my work here is not yet done and that I have great job security.
3 comments:
I am wildly empathetic of your plight.
I could care less about your plight.
Seriously.
I spent last summer working with a group of students who were in a program to help get them into college. I must say it gave me a whole new appreciation for my past teachers. Although, I will say in this instance the example you give is quite comical.
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