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AIBU?

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Original poster

I could care less/I could give a damn

195 replies

Fran2023 · 03/12/2024 08:04

Trivial I know, but I’m trying to keep my mind off the mess that the world is in.

Does it bother anyone else when you hear or read someone saying ‘I could care less’ when they mean ‘I couldn’t care less’ ?

What this mistake means is the opposite to the what they (appear) to mean. For example: ‘I could give a damn that you need a lift to the station. I’m busy!’

Anyway, just wanted to share and as it’s only me and the cat this morning and she told me that she ‘could care less’ I’m posting here.

OP posts:
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Skodasuperb · 06/12/2024 09:30

GeilistheWitch · 06/12/2024 08:19

Ten articles or fewer.

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Have to admit that I despaired a little inside when I saw the "8 items or less" at a local Sainsbury's. Waitrose had it correct, naturally but I shouldn't have to pay extra for correct grammar..

Similarly, I was all in on the Stannis Baratheon campaign in GOT due to his attention to detail. Then he.. iykyk... and I felt betrayed.

minipie · 06/12/2024 09:11

Adding another one seen today. Adverse instead of averse eg “I’m very risk adverse”. No no no.

Dimpliy · 06/12/2024 08:38

Fran2023 · 06/12/2024 08:36

Thank you. Always willing to be corrected!

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But surely it tells you to be less judgemental? You get things wrong too so let people talk
how they want to.

Original poster
Fran2023 · 06/12/2024 08:36

CaptainMyCaptain · 05/12/2024 07:53

https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/nov/18/mind-your-language-another-think

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/have_another_think_coming

Another 'think' coming means 'think again'.

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Thank you. Always willing to be corrected!

OP posts:
GeilistheWitch · 06/12/2024 08:19

Skodasuperb · 05/12/2024 13:31

I think we need a nationwide campaign about the use of less vs fewer.

Ten articles or fewer.

TheBirdintheCave · 06/12/2024 00:17

An example of the error that annoys me most on this site:

'When I was pregnant on my first baby.'

It baffles me why someone would replace 'with' with 'on' but I've seen it used a lot 🤷🏻‍♀️

TiramisuQueenoftheFairies · 05/12/2024 19:57

TriciaMcMillan · 03/12/2024 08:18

I was going to post this, but @Onthesideofthespiders got there first. This is the answer! God love David Mitchell.

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You can't have him, he's mine.
Signed,
Victoria!

DemonicCaveMaggot · 05/12/2024 19:49

Wendolino · 05/12/2024 10:51

It's the American way of saying it. Say no more 😉

Well woof to you too lady and the horse you rode in on.

CaptainMyCaptain · 05/12/2024 19:39

Skodasuperb · 05/12/2024 13:31

I think we need a nationwide campaign about the use of less vs fewer.

I think that's the least of it - lose/loose, brought/bought and could of/should of etc are far worse.

Skodasuperb · 05/12/2024 13:31

I think we need a nationwide campaign about the use of less vs fewer.

RobertaFirmino · 05/12/2024 11:14

Have we had 'bring' when it should be 'take' yet?

Alina3 · 05/12/2024 10:56

Onthesideofthespiders · 03/12/2024 08:17

It’s not correct. They started using it wrong and it caught on. Doesn’t make it correct. It’s wrong.
The educated Americans I know say it properly.

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I once heard an American try and pass it off as sarcasm! Like 'I could care less' but sarcastically. Because they couldn't admit they were just wrong haha.

The whole 'I brought a house' thing makes my teeth itch.

Wendolino · 05/12/2024 10:51

It's the American way of saying it. Say no more 😉

SinnerBoy · 05/12/2024 10:49

Onthesideofthespiders · 03/12/2024 08:17

It’s not correct. They started using it wrong and it caught on. Doesn’t make it correct. It’s wrong.
The educated Americans I know say it properly.

Indeed, Elphaba corrected Glinda in Wicked. My 11 year old went "Yesss!" very quietly.

AlertCat · 05/12/2024 10:39

Bornafreak · 05/12/2024 09:52

But surely you would say “get off the roof” making the second of redundant, but I admit I could be wrong. And I should have read what I wrote as I did write off, of but autocorrect knows better.

Colloquially yes, but the fact that that structure doesn’t work with ‘get out’ makes me think the correct version is to use ‘of’ as well as ‘off’. I could be wrong though, happy to be corrected if anyone knows for sure?
(Or maybe the ‘out of’ construction has led to people colloquially using ‘off of’. Or is that what I said to begin with? 🫣)

Phrasal verbs are a bugger, mind, and THAT I feel sure is true!!

KimberleyClark · 05/12/2024 10:16

“They done”, “she done” I find really jarring. Especially when the rest of the post is written correctly.

Catsmere · 05/12/2024 09:57

Is "off, off" a mispronunciation of "off of"?

Bornafreak · 05/12/2024 09:52

But surely you would say “get off the roof” making the second of redundant, but I admit I could be wrong. And I should have read what I wrote as I did write off, of but autocorrect knows better.

AlertCat · 05/12/2024 08:56

Bornafreak · 05/12/2024 08:48

This irrationally annoys me but I’ve noticed an increase in people saying off off such as “the cat wouldn’t get off, off me” and I end up thinking to myself you don’t need the second off but seems to becoming more mainstream.

Should be “off of me”?

Get off of that roof! Get out of that box! Etc.

TheSkyRaisin · 05/12/2024 08:51

@MasterBeth I pronounce drawers with one syllable myself 🤣

Bornafreak · 05/12/2024 08:48

This irrationally annoys me but I’ve noticed an increase in people saying off off such as “the cat wouldn’t get off, off me” and I end up thinking to myself you don’t need the second off but seems to becoming more mainstream.

AlertCat · 05/12/2024 08:22

Thunderpants88 · 04/12/2024 23:10

I am pretty intelligent and I do not know when to use each of these words correctly

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Lots of people get bought and brought wrong.
Bring —> brought
Buy —> bought

I went on a picnic and brought a sandwich I bought at Tesco.

Onthesideofthespiders · 05/12/2024 07:56

Thunderpants88 · 04/12/2024 23:10

I am pretty intelligent and I do not know when to use each of these words correctly

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What? But they’re two totally different words with completely difference pronunciations.

Loose =
The knot in my shoelace is getting loose.
This handle feels loose so i’m worried it will fall off.

Lose =
Be careful not lose your keys.
You’re in a lose-lose situation.

Altogether now =
I am trying to lose weight so my jeans will feel looser.

Edit - My phoje just changed two to too, so i see how it can happen with autocorrect maybe. But to not know those words at all?

CaptainMyCaptain · 05/12/2024 07:53

Fran2023 · 04/12/2024 21:20

‘Another think coming’ doesn’t make sense to me.

The phrase is ‘if you think that you have another thing coming.’ The ‘thing’ refers to the pronoun ‘that’ i.e. the thing that you are thinking.

Think is not a noun so the phrase ‘another think coming’ does not make sense. It doesn’t strike me as word play either

If I heard it I would assume that the person speaking was someone who also says ‘somethink’.

Edited

https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/nov/18/mind-your-language-another-think

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/have_another_think_coming

Another 'think' coming means 'think again'.

If you’ve got ‘another thing coming’, you’ve got another think coming | Mind your language

David Marsh: I don’t want to make a big thing about it, but I do think ‘think’ makes more sense when using this phrase

https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/nov/18/mind-your-language-another-think

nadine90 · 04/12/2024 23:38

I haven't got no money - so you have some money?
Carn't - I don't actually mind people shortening words, but why add extra letters?
Chester draws - what does Chester like to draw?
Someone posted on the school fb page last week asking if it was "insect day" on Friday - I bloody hoped not!