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ImageSMART TALK

by Dr. Thorn Schwa


I COULD CARE LESS: At the Center for English as a First Language, we say this to fellow staff when we want to needle them and get a reaction. Much like making a sexist wisecrack to Dr. Dot Pilcrow. Better than nearly any other usage gaffe, "I could care less" proves that the speaker just isn't thinking.

Obviously, if you could care less, you do care. When you say, "It could be worse," you're using the same construction, but "it couldn't be worse" clearly states that we have hit bottom. "I couldn't care less" clearly states that your caring has dropped to zero.

Why don't people listen to their own words? Don't they want to sound smart? Don't they want respect?

Perhaps you could say, "As if I could care less" if you wanted to sound sarcastic and a bit snarky, but you never do that, do you. You want that respect.

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