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Pastimes : SI Grammar and Spelling Lab
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To: jbe who wrote (10)12/21/1997 3:06:00 PM
From: Jack Clarke   of 4710
 
jbe:

What a treasure trove I've stumbled upon! There are people who care about our language and seek to constructively help others who are not so well-versed in its grammatical intricacies. While going through the sadly small number of posts on this thread, I found mentions of the most egregious errors seen on SI (it's/its and your/you're), but I would like to comment on the expression in your post: The often seen and heard "I could care less" instead of the correct "I couldn't care less".

How did this incorrect usage come into being? Here's my theory, FWIW of course:

I think the expression may have often been used in an ironic interrogatory manner: I could care less? It also sounds like it could have had some German or Yiddish ethnic coloration as well. Picture the speaker shrugging shoulders, hands open and asking, "I could care less?"

Hope to see more activity on this thread.

Jack
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