Great lines from John Barth’s “Lost in the Funhouse,” where the narrator, Ambrose, is discussing plans with some people, including the girl he’s infatuated with, Magda:
“Maybe I just want to lay here with Ambrose,” Magda teased.
Nothing, it's correct - People constantly say "could care less", which is the exact opposite
There is neither a correct or incorrect, it depends upon what you are trying to convey. If it is something that you have no ability to care any less for, then usage of “I couldn’t care less” would be appropriate. However, if you still have the ability to care less then select, “I could care less”.
" Evidence of the phrase "all of a sudden" goes back to at least the 17th century, and for some inexplicable reason, its use persisted while the noun sudden and its other set phrases formed with prepositions (in, on, upon, and at) gradually fell into disuse."
" … they would needs have a golden Calfe instead of Moses, to goe before them, and therefore all of a sudden they came with great violence unto Aaron…. — John Dod and Robert Cleaver, Seven Godlie and Fruitfull Sermons, 1614"
I know it's cooler to have an English accent, but pretending to prefer Brit pronunciations as an American is a bit pretentious.
I'm British, and some Americanisms really grate at times. Particularly when Americans insist that the original pronunciation stuck in 1672 when their 8 times great grandfather left the County of Rutland.
"go extinct" instead of "become extinct".
Using the comparators "than" or "as" instead of "to".
"Champing at the bit" instead of "chomping at the bit". How can a horse's teeth "champ" instead of "chomp"?
Pronouncing "herbs" as "urbs". I always have a vision of Grecian vases containing a quantity of basil...
"gotten" but not as a past participle or plural. Ideally, it should have a suffix and join "began" and "become".
These are but minor irritations when compared to how some non-native English speakers mangle the English language, in a misguided attempt to sound cool. Actually writing "wanna", "gonna" or "coulda". But worst of all is the use of "dear" for anyone younger than 80 years old.
The "it fit me" thing is weird too. It fitted you. Its a past or a past perfect tense, not a present tense.
"the English" when they mean "the British".
By the way, "could of" and "I sat" are northern English dialect remnants of a different language, probably Old Norse, in which they would have been grammatically correct. In other words, they are following the grammar rules for those accents. I quite like the preservation of old dialects and they often help with learning foreign languages.
British English is far more formal than a lot of non-native speakers like to think. And no, we don't all come from inner city London.
Bloody hell, mate, what a load of cobblers, bollocks, rubbish, and old wank. Crikeys.
I can't figure out whether the liberties that Yanks take with English SPAG have genuinely got up your nose and put you in a right strop - or you're just a barmy tosser not batting on a full wicket who's always spare. It's a real head-scratcher, innit.
But all your whingeing about how brassed off you are by the ways "non-native English speakers mangle the English language" does you limeys no favours. It gives the unfortunate impression thatmerry old England has gone to the dogs or at least is clapped out and on the skids - full of snobby but naff and gormless gits, plonkers, pillocks, berks, xenophobes and CFs who've all competely lost the plot.
Or are you just taking the piss?
Anyways, I'm sure I'm not the only "non-native English speaker" who was cheesed-off by your gobsmacking chuntering. On behalf of all of us I say, "Blimey, old chap, sod off!"
These are but minor irritations when compared to how some non-native English speakers mangle the English language, in a misguided attempt to sound cool. Actually writing "wanna", "gonna" or "coulda". But worst of all is the use of "dear" for anyone younger than 80 years old.
"Dear Darlin' " - a British pop song that reached number 5 on the UK singles' charts a decade ago - was written by four young blokes from England. The chap who sang it, Olly Murs, hails from Witham, Essex.
You Know I Know. The brand new album. OUT NOW: http://smarturl.it/ykikdlxYTDOlly Murs - Dear Darlin' (Official Video)Spotify: http://smarturl.it/24HRSSpotify...
In 1968, four mates in their 20s from Liverpool, England wrote and released a song called "Dear Prudence" - about a young woman (Prudence Farrow) who was 20 at the time.
I'm British, and some Americanisms really grate at times. Particularly when Americans insist that the original pronunciation stuck in 1672 when their 8 times great grandfather left the County of Rutland.
"go extinct" instead of "become extinct".
Using the comparators "than" or "as" instead of "to".
"Champing at the bit" instead of "chomping at the bit". How can a horse's teeth "champ" instead of "chomp"?
Pronouncing "herbs" as "urbs". I always have a vision of Grecian vases containing a quantity of basil...
"gotten" but not as a past participle or plural. Ideally, it should have a suffix and join "began" and "become".
These are but minor irritations when compared to how some non-native English speakers mangle the English language, in a misguided attempt to sound cool. Actually writing "wanna", "gonna" or "coulda". But worst of all is the use of "dear" for anyone younger than 80 years old.
The "it fit me" thing is weird too. It fitted you. Its a past or a past perfect tense, not a present tense.
"the English" when they mean "the British".
By the way, "could of" and "I sat" are northern English dialect remnants of a different language, probably Old Norse, in which they would have been grammatically correct. In other words, they are following the grammar rules for those accents. I quite like the preservation of old dialects and they often help with learning foreign languages.
British English is far more formal than a lot of non-native speakers like to think. And no, we don't all come from inner city London.
Bloody hell, mate, what a load of cobblers, bollocks, rubbish, and old wank. Crikeys.
I can't figure out whether the liberties that Yanks take with English SPAG have genuinely got up your nose and put you in a right strop - or you're just a barmy tosser not batting on a full wicket who's always spare. It's a real head-scratcher, innit.
But all your whingeing about how brassed off you are by the ways "non-native English speakers mangle the English language" does you limeys no favours. It gives the unfortunate impression thatmerry old England has gone to the dogs or at least is clapped out and on the skids - full of snobby but naff and gormless gits, plonkers, pillocks, berks, xenophobes and CFs who've all competely lost the plot.
Or are you just taking the piss?
Anyways, I'm sure I'm not the only "non-native English speaker" who was cheesed-off by your gobsmacking chuntering. On behalf of all of us I say, "Blimey, old chap, sod off!"
Can I have a translation for that, ya bawbag Sassenach ersewipe?
There is neither a correct or incorrect, it depends upon what you are trying to convey. If it is something that you have no ability to care any less for, then usage of “I couldn’t care less” would be appropriate. However, if you still have the ability to care less then select, “I could care less”.
always remember that there's no comma in the following:
"Could care less" is not "couldn't" with "n't" left off. It has its own ironic meaning.
"Could care less" is along the lines of "Let them eat cake". If there's no bread then there won't be any cake. If there's no "care" from the start then less of nothing is nothing.
A similar ironic idiom is "for all I care" which actually means not caring at all.
"Could care less" is not "couldn't" with "n't" left off. It has its own ironic meaning.
"Could care less" is along the lines of "Let them eat cake". If there's no bread then there won't be any cake. If there's no "care" from the start then less of nothing is nothing.
A similar ironic idiom is "for all I care" which actually means not caring at all.
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