Only by extrapolation. The syntax being almost correct because the difference with the correct expression is just one word away (the word "not"). But the expression is incorrect and if you condone it then you must condone mistakes in all modern branches of knowledge and soon 1+1 will equal 3 because it's not too far from the correct answer and people "understand" what was meant. But even though you can extrapolate from the wrong result, 1+1 will never equal 3 and it is as wrong as it can ever be.
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Originally Posted by QuantumIguana
Yet when someone says "I could care less", the are communicating effectively, people understand what is meant. Therefore, it is false that communication and meaning is made void.
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I won't pretend to squash this "idiom" anymore than I would pretend to squash ignorance from the surface of the earth.
Quote:
Originally Posted by QuantumIguana
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the component words. "I could care less" is one of those idioms. If you want to stomp this idiom, good luck. Maybe you'll manage to do it.
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