More semantic nit-picking

[robinturner]

After posting about various annoying expressions, I have come across another case of "could care less." This is nothing unusual in itself. The worrying part was that it was in academics_anon.

Comments

[hyperina.livejournal.com]

oh I've read a few op eds even about this topic or the readers will write in themselves and battle it out! the "could care less" side will say that this expression better expresses their indifference to the issue at hand, as in, they can't even bother to decide how much they care about it. the "couldn't care less" side says that this expression more literally and precisely expresses their indifference to the issue at hand. then the editors start getting bomb threats and the topic is sidelined for a few years. then it pops up again, and the bloody battles resume! awesome.

[solri.livejournal.com]

That's the first time I've that explanation of "could care less." It sounds like a rationalisation to me; they realise that they've been talking nonsense and try to work out a plausible meaning for it.

As I said, I wouldn't mind if it was a part of creative argot, like "so ... not" sentences, or Parisians saying things backwards ("jourbon"). However, I believe in keeping academic, technical or political discourse as clear and unambiguous as possible, not least because it needs to be read and understood by people who don't have American English (or indeed any kind of English) as their native tongue.

[hyperina.livejournal.com]

i agree with you.
let the email bombings begin!