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I think the battle is lost here already. I'm an educated native English speaker and I could literally care less if someone says "less" when, traditionally, "few
by lacampbell 10y ago
I think the battle is lost here already. I'm an educated native English speaker and I could literally care less if someone says "less" when, traditionally, "fewer" would have been used.
It still annoys me that people describe things as "lite" instead of "light", but I realise the battle is lost as well.
- robjan 10y agoYou could care less. So that means you do care when someone makes the mistake?
- lacampbell 10y agoI knew that would trip someones grammar wire.
- tmnvix 10y agoI'm guessing you are from the US. I am from Australasia and the fewer/less distinction is largely respected in my experience. I find the example jarring. Regarding light/lite, I am doubtful that this is a problem outside of the US. Don't give in so easily!
- lacampbell 10y agohttps://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/SearchProducts?search=cottage+cheese#url=/Shop/ProductDetails%3Fstockcode%3D753001%26name%3Danchor-cottage-cheese-lite%26searchString%3Dcottage%2Bcheese https://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/SearchProducts?search=cott... I think I have some of this in my fridge right now. "Lite" is used here a lot. I hear native English speakers in NZ make grammar mistakes here all the time. I'm really curious that you hear the less/fewer distinction adhered to.
- jamiethompson 10y agoI think you mean that you _couldn't_ care less
- lacampbell 10y agoBut that's the thing. I literally could.
- OJFord 10y agoMaking it a thoroughly meaningless thing to say. I could also care less, obviously, since I'm posting here talking about how I do care and find the use annoying, and you disagree and think it doesn't matter. Telling me that you 'care some non-zero amount' doesn't mean much at all. The phrase is couldn't care less, that is, 'zero units of care', i.e. you don't care.
- lacampbell 10y agomy eyes literally rolled so hard my head exploded reading that. I could care less what you think of my grammar.
- jamiethompson 10y agoBy which you mean that you _do_ care what they think of your grammar?
- lacampbell 10y agoOk this is no fun anymore. I was trolling. I tried to make it blindingly obvious by combining two common grammar pedant triggers in one sentence but people were so keen to be self-righteous that it flew over their head. I know the correct grammar, and I just think it's sad that people care.
- jamiethompson 10y agoI don't understand why people refuse to understand this. I could care less = I care some amount. Possibly a lot. I couldn't care less = I care no amount. I do not care.