American: "Could care less"

dawballz

What the hell does "Could care less" mean..
Surely it's supposed to be "Couldn't care less" as in:
"I could not care any less than I care at this moment in time"
vs.:
"I could care more than I care at this moment in time"

I don't know if I'm putting it right, but you know what I mean...
Where did they come up with "Could care less"?

Wikipedia has this to say:
Could or couldn't care less?

This is an issue to which logic is the answer:

* I could care less means "I do care somewhat", since one can only care less if already caring
* I couldn't care less means "I don't care at all", since one cannot care less if not caring

Evidently, if you mean to say "I don't care at all", the latter term, I couldn't care less, is the one to use. The matter changes slightly in American English, where both colloquialisms are used interchangably to mean "I don't care at all",[1] with "I could care less" meaning "I could hardly care less".[2].

Does it annoy you seeing the Americans using nonsensical phrases?

Earthhorse

It annoys me to see anyone using nonsensical phrases.

"I could care less" has cropped up more and more recently. Normally I'm quite happy to let language evolve however it does but in this case the phrase is counter intuitive and obfuscates intent.

FlutterinBantam

Busts my ballz too....eg "winningest" and "threepeat"

However they have some good ones too... I like one I heard from Iraq "360 degree war" I like that...as opposed to the old 180 degree one.... with fronts and that... this time they are all around you.... good good

Hagar

It don't make no never mind to me what you say.