Sayings that you hate now

[scotpens]

The problem is "could care less" is recorded in American English usage even earlier than Couldn't Care Less.

That's not what the article says. (Emphasis added.)

A bit of history first: the original expression, of course, was I couldn’t care less, meaning “it is impossible for me to have less interest or concern in this matter, since I am already utterly indifferent”. It is originally British. The first record of it in print I know of is in 1946, as the title of a book by Anthony Phelps, recording his experiences in Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II. By then it had clearly become sufficiently well known that he could rely on its being recognised. It seems to have reached the US some time in the 1950s and to have become popular in the latter part of that decade. The inverted form I could care less was coined in the US and is found only there. It may have begun to be used in the early 1960s, though it turns up in a written form only in 1966.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Hmmm, I remembered previously reading that, while couldn't care less certainly appeared in British usage before could care less appeared in American usage, that couldn't care less didn't appear in American usage until after. However, you're probably right.

Still, given that it only appeared in American usage, it seems logical to conclude that it was more of a cultural thing, rather than just someone messing up.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Still, given that it only appeared in American usage, it seems logical to conclude that it was more of a cultural thing, rather than just someone messing up.

Unless "messing up" happens to be a cultural thing.

 

[Finn]

I got another one I don't think was mentioned already...

"You live here!", said after I would tell a visitor that I'm not sure how to get to a place in an part of town I don't frequent".

Just because I live in a given city doesn't mean I know exactly how to go to a tourist spot with a well mapped out route. I lived in the DC area for about nine years combined, and I couldn't tell you exactly how to get to the Pentagon from my university or even my in-laws' (via car).

 

[thestrangequark]

^Wow, I get asked by tourists for directions all the time, and they're never bitchy to me when I don't know how to get somewhere. How annoying! Once I overheard a dude giving directions to some particularly obnoxious tourists who wanted to get to Broadway. Without missing a beat he told them to take the A train to Broadway Junction. It was mean, but also hilarious.

 

[RoJoHen]

While sitting at my bar and drinking beer, tourists always ask me, "So what is there to do around here?"

I always look at them and say, "You're pretty much doing it."

 

[scotpens]

Once I overheard a dude giving directions to some particularly obnoxious tourists who wanted to get to Broadway.

Reminds me of the old joke:

"Excuse me, how do I get to Carnegie Hall?"

"Practice, practice, practice!"

 

[Finn]

^Wow, I get asked by tourists for directions all the time, and they're never bitchy to me when I don't know how to get somewhere. How annoying! Once I overheard a dude giving directions to some particularly obnoxious tourists who wanted to get to Broadway. Without missing a beat he told them to take the A train to Broadway Junction. It was mean, but also hilarious.

They must like you, not me.

I remember this one time when I was in a group hanging out somewhere, when a car stopped. The driver asked for directions to some place. One of the guys gave him direction to some locale in the opposite direction.