Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse writers. I have found the following to be among them:
COULD CARE LESS / COULDN’T CARE LESS
This is a casual expression that has somehow been turned topsy-turvy in both spoken and written language. If you could care less, then obviously you care at least somewhat; otherwise it wouldn’t be possible to care less than you do. However, most of the time I see or hear this expression used, it is intended to mean couldn’t care less, which means that the speaker/writer doesn’t care at all. And if you don’t care at all, then it would be impossible to care less.
INCORRECT: I could care less what people say about me behind my back.
CORRECT: I couldn’t care less what people say about me behind my back.
Of course, if you really do care and therefore could care less, then the “incorrect” statement above would in fact be correct, but due to such common misuse of this phrase, chances are slim that your listener would interpret it to mean what it says.
© 2017 Ann Henry, all rights reserved.
4 thoughts on “Could Care Less / Couldn’t Care Less”
I’ve found myself typing these words into my characters’ mouths, then rethinking them – as you say depending on what I intend it to mean and what the average reader will take it to mean.
Yes, it’s a little tricky. Especially in dialogue since in conversation, many real people say the opposite of what they mean when it comes to this phrase. Go figure!
I think ‘I could care less’ would normally need a qualifier, such as.
“I could care less IF she’d nicked me while practicing foils but, dammit, she was knighting me!”
Good one, Jack! I’ll try to remember that the next time I’m knighted.