could care less VS couldn't care less

[Freeguy]

One of my native friends has told me that it's common in the USA that they would say 'I could care less' instead of 'I couldn't care less'. I wonder that he is right or not. What do you think?

 

[bhaisahab]

It may be true that it's common in the USA, but it's not correct English. Don't use it.

 

[charliedeut]

I have indeed heard it from US speakers of English. They never used the correct option.

 

[SoothingDave]

Yes, it's common and illogical, but that is what people say.

 

[emsr2d2]

The first time I heard an American friend use "I could care less", I laughed and asked her why she had used such a nonsensical version of "I couldn't care less". She looked at me as if I was mad and said that she didn't know what I was talking about. I pointed out that the correct (and logical) phrase is "I couldn't care less" and she actually didn't believe me. She thought I was joking when I told her that that was what we say in BrE and, I thought, in every other variant of English. Since then, I have heard "I could care less" from countless AmE speakers. I still don't know why.

You might enjoy this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7O0MFkmpw

 

[SoothingDave]

We're either being sarcastic or stupid. Such a fine line between clever and stupid.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, I believe the variant started as a sarcastic version of the original. Unfortunately, many people didn't know there was an original correct version, so they picked up the variant. It grates on my ears.