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"I could care less"
"I could care less". This is something that we see typed in a lot of posts. How many people realise that they are actually saying the reverse of what they mean? Look at the sentence - "I could care less". That means that you actually do care! Leaving out one small word has changed the meaning completely.
What are these people really trying to say? "I could not care less". Or in it's more usual, simple English "I couldn't care less". Written or spoken in this way, the speaker does not care at all about the subject or point in discussion. One small word, or it's contraction into the preceeding word. What a difference.
In what other ways can dropping a word change the meaning of a sentence? Think about what you're saying - it can make a difference.
What are these people really trying to say? "I could not care less". Or in it's more usual, simple English "I couldn't care less". Written or spoken in this way, the speaker does not care at all about the subject or point in discussion. One small word, or it's contraction into the preceeding word. What a difference.
In what other ways can dropping a word change the meaning of a sentence? Think about what you're saying - it can make a difference.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Grammar Police on scene... Preceeding Word Contraction Violations! This is not a drill! You must read this email to not look like you only have a 3rd grade education. However, if you are dyslexic, then join me and show your support for dyslexia by looking at our website: www.dyslexia.moc
and for those who really need help...
DYSLEXICS UNTIE!
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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Are you a Firefighter or an English teacher....if this is the only problem that you see in the field then you need to find out where your head is.....I'll throw you a bone....."ain't that rite".....Paul
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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Good one Mike!
But - was I really just talking about grammar? Is it 'just grammar'? Or is it the meaning of what has been written. Try explaining to the Coroner (in Court) that you'd meant to place another word in your statement/report. That you didn't really mean what the report says. That you meant something else. I know I wouldn't want to be in that position, the opposition barrister (the lawyer who attacks people in court - I can't remember the US term) would have a field day tearing apart everything you'd written and said. Not my idea of a fun way to spend the day...
My second paragraph in the OP is the key.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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Defense Attorney is the term your looking for.
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Ted, that is my point exactly! "As if I could care less" and "I couldn't care less" mean the same thing, "I could care less" means the opposite!
To have two (or more) different modes of writing, now that can be a trap. Which one takes over when you're under stress? We have a position in the Strike Team Leaders crew who's only task is to write down what is happening. Accurately. All the local radio rtaffic - which isn't recorded. How stressed is that person going to be when everything has gone pear shaped?
However, I'm just trying to make a point, that we should think. We should think whether its something as simple as a comment on a thread here, or when writing a report, or when actually firefighting. Do you understand that Paul? To quote an Americanism 'thinking outside the box'? No it's not the only problem I can see. Yes there may well be more important problems. That does not make small problems less important in their own way, because they can have much larger, unforseen, ramifications.
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As in the world famous "Ain't Rite" Fishing Team? If it is then I believe the right phraseology would be to throw a lure... unless your bone fishing... : )
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"Failure to prepare is preparing for failure..." Another saying, "Train as if your life depends on it... because it does!" could mirror your concerns and need to strive to be accurate when documenting something.
But when using the internet, you are in a different mode sometimes, letting your guard down and maybe mispelling a word or two. I will point out though that through my concurrent use of both the Mac and PC, when using my Mac, it underlines mispelled words, keeping me clean. As far as grammar, I could be guilty of a run on sentence or two here and there.
The good news here is that when we are actually doing our jobs, spell check and being grammarically correct is not a big deal as long as we all get to go home safely so we can chat about grammar on the internet...
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Thanks, Mike! My sides hurt now from laughing so much!
I tried to join the grammar Police, but I misspelled my name on the application! :)
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