I don't give a penny/damn

[Over the top]

Hello
Do "I don't give a penny, I don't give a damn sh*t" have the same meaning? means I don't care.
Is using "do" in this question correct?
Thank you

[emsr2d2]

Hello
Do "I don't give a penny, I don't give a damn sh*t" have the same meaning? means I don't care.
Is using "do" in this question correct?
Thank you

"Do" is correct.

I've never heard of "I don't give a penny", nor "I don't give a damn sh*t".

In BrE, we use:

I don't give a damn.
I don't give a sh*t.
I don't give a f*ck.
I don't give a flying f*ck.
I couldn't care less. (Note, in AmE this is "I could care less"!)
I don't care.

Apologies for the number of asterisks required above but rather a lot of the phrases for "I don't care" are rather rude!

[Tdol]

And some argue that it was originally I don't give a dam - suggesting that it is a reference to a Indian coin of little value - though this spelling is almost never used now.

[Barb_D]

A politer version I use is "I don't give a flying fish."

The "I could care less" has never made sense to me. We say both "could" and "couldn't" here, but I personal don't use the "could" version. It's illogical.

[~Mav~]

*** NOT A TEACHER ***

I don't give a sh*t.

Alternatively, sometimes I write, "I don't give a whit", leaving the reader wonder whether I made a typo (S and W are adjacent on the keyboard), or it is actually what I wanted to write. I hope this ("I don't give a whit.") works.

I couldn't care less. (Note, in AmE this is "I could care less"!)

...which is absolutely illogical, IMHO.

_____________________

Please allow me two questions:

1) Is there any sort of difference between "I don't give a damn <clause>" and "I don't give a damn about <clause> (For example, "I don't give a damn (about) what she thinks.") Or is "about" only used when "I don't give a damn" is followed by a noun?


2) Errr, as for the original question, would "I don't give a sodding (instead of "damn") shit" work in BrE?

[Tdol]

A politer version I use is "I don't give a flying fish."

The flying fish version is new to me.


People used to say I couldn't give atuppenny dam(n) in BrE, though I haven't heard it in a long time.

[Barb_D]

My flying fish version is a personal use. There is such a creature, and it's similar enough in sound to flying f*** that people get what I mean, but unexepected enough to be amusing.

[emsr2d2]

*** NOT A TEACHER ***

Please allow me two questions:

1) Is there any sort of difference between "I don't give a damn <clause>" and "I don't give a damn about <clause> (For example, "I don't give a damn (about) what she thinks.") Or is "about" only used when "I don't give a damn" is followed by a noun?


2) Errr, as for the original question, would "I don't give a sodding (instead of "damn") shit" work in BrE?

1) I don't give a damn.
I don't give a damn what she thinks.
I don't give a damn about the environment.

2) You need to use some asterisks!!! I can't say I've ever used "I don't give a s*dding sh*t" but I don't see why you couldn't.

[Tdol]

2- It does work, but s*dding is less used nowadays IMO, so it sounds a bit odd.

[emsr2d2]

2- It does work, but s*dding is less used nowadays IMO, so it sounds a bit odd.

I use it quite a lot but only in "Oh, s*dding hell, my computer's crashed again!" or similar.