LL-L "Literature" 2014.01.03 (01) [EN]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L - 03 January 2014 - Volume 01
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Idiomatica

Dear Lowlanders,



One of the many things in which I am interested is changes of idiomatic
impressions.



Here I will deal with two English expressions that I believe have undergone
changes in the United States, and I wonder if they are found in other
varieties of English as well.



(1)

*“I could care less.”*

As far as I am concerned, this ought to be “I *couldn’t* care less” (=
“I *could
not* care less”), and this is what I heard and read in Britain and
Australia.
I believe that the originally intended meaning is something like “I care so
little that I could not care any less” (= “I don’t care at all”).



(2)

*“I couldn’t barely breathe” *or e.g.
* “She couldn’t hardly believe her eyes”*
As far as I know, these ought to be “I could barely breathe” and “She could
hardly believe her eyes” respectively.



Is there something about “could” and “could not” that causes confusion and
leads to misinterpretation in such instances?



Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

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