[Ads-l] IDGAF--with quantities

Thu Dec 4 16:28:30 UTC 2025

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/zero-f-ks-left-halle-142726394.html :

"At this stage in my life, I have zero f*cks left to give,” [Halle] Berry
declared.

JL

On Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 8:37 AM Jesse Sheidlower <jester at panix.com> wrote:

> The F-Word (ed. 4) has a new entry for this, which I defined (with input
> from people here, and others) as "in idiomatic uses in negative contexts: a
> small or insignificant amount of caring or empathy, regarded as a
> quantifiable unit." This entry includes things like "don't give two fucks",
> "zero fucks given", and "to give no fucks".
>
> Earliest quote is Philip Larkin in a 1945 letter: "I need someone who
> consciously accepts mystery at the bottom of things…—an artist—the kind of
> artist who is perpetually kneeling in his heart—who gives no fuck for
> anything except this mystery, and for that gives every fuck there is."
>
> Next was 1972 from G. F. Newman's _You Nice Bastard_, in an English
> context, for "couldn't give two fucks about", although I've just searched
> again and found an example of "You couldn't care two fucks about me" from
> John Gardner's _The Censor_ (copyright 1969, published 1970), which I've
> added for the future.
>
> Earliest specifically for "zero fucks given" is 2009.
>
> Updates very welcome!
>
> Jesse Sheidlower
>
> On Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 07:19:53AM -0500, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > "I don't give two fucks" (or "shits" - but not "damns" or "goddamns" in
> my
> > experience) has been around since ca1970 or earlier.
> >
> > Two being less than one.
> >
> > JL
> >
> > On Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 7:02 AM Geoffrey Nathan <
> > 00001a558db4a26e-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > Somewhat of a tangent,
> > > but this discussion made
> > > me wonder about when 'fuck'
> > > became not only a
> > > count noun but one that was
> > > actually counted. So I
> > > asked Google nGram
> > > about 'zero fucks to give'
> > > and found a citation from
> > > 2017. Not the best
> > > research tool, but
> > > probably suggestive.
> > >
> > > (Apologies for the weird formatting
> > > but if I don't keep lines shortened
> > > the listserv machine screws with
> > > Them)
> > >
> > > Geoff
> > >
> > > Geoffrey S. Nathan
> > > WSU Information Privacy Officer (Retired)
> > > Emeritus Professor, Linguistics Program
> > > http://blogs.wayne.edu/proftech/
> > >
> > > geoffnathan at wayne.edu
> > >
> > > Nobody at Wayne State will EVER ask you for your password. Never send
> it
> > > to anyone in an email, no matter how authentic the email looks.
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> Ben
> > > Zimmer <00001aae0710f4b7-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 10:25 PM
> > > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Subject: Re: IDGAF
> > >
> > > [EXTERNAL]
> > >
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > > -----------------------
> > > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Poster:       Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> > > Subject:      Re: IDGAF
> > >
> > >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > You can find earlier examples in Jesse Sheidlower's _The F-Word_ (4th
> ed.,
> > > 2024):
> > >
> > > 1969 The Hatchet (George Washington University) (Mar. 20) 11/1: Mural
> > > Softball Weekend Scores=E2=80=A6. IDGAF 8 -- Teddy=E2=80=99s Team 3.
> > > 1982 The Manet (North Quincy (MA) High School yearbook) 78: IDGAF, let
> the
> > > Good Times Roll, "No Way Jose," "Whatever."
> > > 1993 RELEASE: Recent and Upcoming Album Releases: 93:41 in
> rec.music.misc
> > > (Usenet newsgroup) (Oct. 15): 2 Nov Lyrical Prophets I.D.G.A.F.
> > > 1997 Re: creative acronyms in alt.tasteless.jokes (Usenet newsgroup)
> (May
> > > 28): IDGAF I Don=E2=80=99t Give A Fuck.
> > > [etc.]
> > >
> > > --bgz
> > >
> > > On Sat, Nov 15, 2025 at 3:14=E2=80=AFPM Dennis During <
> > > 00001bcaf94bd005-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > >
> > > > in Wiktionary since 11/2/2011, with a single citation from 1993.
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, Nov 15, 2025 at 7:56=E2=80=AFAM Jonathan Lighter <
> > > > 00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Md. Gov. Wes Moore on _The Weekend_ (MSNOW TV): I have five letter
> for
> > > > the
> > > > > _Washington Post_ [after an unfavorable comment]: I. D. G. A. F.
> > > > >
> > > > > JL
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> > > > truth."
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-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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