"Could care less"

Pedants corner again...

[ronin]

Okay, usually I don't sit in the corner playing the miserable pedant, but in the last month I have seen "could care less" everywhere and it's really beginning to give me an ulcer.

I care so much about it that I could care less than I do. But I don't. I care about it a lot.

I care so little about it that I couldn't care less.

This is going to become one of those senseless misquotes like "cheap at half the price" (should be: "cheap at twice the price") isn't it?

[rocker]

How about "Your Point Is Mute" :)

[weeks]

Yeah, I believe someone such as William Safire got on "I could care less" several years ago. But, he seemed somewhat accepting of it, as if it ever made sense to say "I could care less" is the same as "I could not care less."

What is especially annoying about this is that "I could care less" is a useful phrase. Or rather, could be. It could--should--mean, "the more I hear about it, the less I care about it."

[weeks]

So, what is wrong with saying "mute" instead of "moot."

Lots.
Your point is quieted. (And then it should be "muted.")
vs
Your point does not (or no longer) applied to this situation.

A muted point is a quiet/silenced statement.
A moot point is a invalid statement.

[Syzygy]

Irregardless, I couldn't careless!

Syzygy

[jdMorgan]

Ah, but "moot" is another one that's often misused:

Moot \Moot\, a. Subject, or open, to argument or discussion; undecided; debatable; mooted.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

In the context of a meeting, a point is moot if it is not relevant to the purpose of the meeting, but must be or should be decided later or elsewhere. But often, "moot" is used as if it means that the issue has already been decided by default.

There are several other definitions: Arguing a case or position, often in the sense of "practicing" to attain proficiency in the art of debate or arguing law; A meeting or assembly, as in "folk-moot" or "Ent-moot"; Presenting a point or a case for discussion.

Irregardless, a. To irrigate (e.g. to water crops or lawns) in a negligent or irresponsible manner. "Though the community was subject to water-usage restrictions because of the recent drought, he turned on his lawn sprinklers irregardless." :)

Jim

[jatar_k]

the use of 'weary'

I am weary of that person/situation/whatever

looks fine, except so many people use weary when they mean, either, wary or leery

they mean cautious, not tired.

[jdMorgan]

And how about "lose" versus "loose?"

Game warden to archer: "Hunting season is closed. But you went into the woods with 20 arrows and returned with only 19. So, did you lose an arrow, or did you loose an arrow?"

Jim

[mightymid]

I'm casting my vote for "I feel badly," which is generally meant as an expression of sympathy but literally states that one's ability to feel is impaired.

(Try it out with other verbs: I drive badly. I sing badly. See?)

[oneguy]

And how about "lose" versus "loose?"

That's my favorite, since I usually see it in the context of one "loser" calling another "loser" a "looser."