The english language and its stupid phrases | Forums

[Tfrogs1]

I can't hold back this rage inside me any longer... I must express my hatred towards two phrases that don't make any sense. Random? Yes. A waste of time? Yes. Also a waste of forum space? Yes. Worth it? Who cares.

Phrase #1:
could care less
It's supposed to mean the same as couldn't care less, but NAY, it doesn't!
See, "could" and "couldn't" are the exact opposite in meaning. The phrase supposedly means I don't care at all, so I literally can't care any less. If, however, you add logic to the mix, you get It's possible to care less, because I do care somewhat.
Yet the phrase is widely accepted as meaning the same thing as couldn't care less! Pfft!

Phrase #2:
all but... [dead, gone, insane, etc]
If you think about it, using he's all but dead as an example, this should logically mean He's so far from death that he could be everything else, and he still wouldn't be dead. BUT NAY!!! It means He's completely dead but/except for one thing.
I've found myself naturally using all but to mean everything but. This is the simpler and more logical way to use it, so why isn't it used this way?!?!?!
The "but" should be emphasized!

Now, you might say, "Aha, my good T-Froggian, but these are only phrases! They are not meant to make sense! They are just meant to be used for their illogical meanings!"
To that I would say, "Aha, my good *insert name here*, but the reason I am not fine with that is that I find myself interpreting these phrases to mean what they actually mean, not what some drunkard back in the 1500s proclaimed them to mean (see Phrase #2)! If I hear someone saying they could care less, my first impression would be that they do care! If I hear someone saying they're all but a genius, I'll think they're quite the modest fellow!"

[/rant]

If you, too, feel the need to speak out against the usage of these and/or other phrases, please do so!

[Tfrogs1]

I can't hold back this rage inside me any longer... I must express my hatred towards two phrases that don't make any sense. Random? Yes. A waste of time? Yes. Also a waste of forum space? Yes. Worth it? Who cares.

Phrase #1:
could care less
It's supposed to mean the same as couldn't care less, but NAY, it doesn't!
See, "could" and "couldn't" are the exact opposite in meaning. The phrase supposedly means I don't care at all, so I literally can't care any less. If, however, you add logic to the mix, you get It's possible to care less, because I do care somewhat.
Yet the phrase is widely accepted as meaning the same thing as couldn't care less! Pfft!

Phrase #2:
all but... [dead, gone, insane, etc]
If you think about it, using he's all but dead as an example, this should logically mean He's so far from death that he could be everything else, and he still wouldn't be dead. BUT NAY!!! It means He's completely dead but/except for one thing.
I've found myself naturally using all but to mean everything but. This is the simpler and more logical way to use it, so why isn't it used this way?!?!?!
The "but" should be emphasized!

Now, you might say, "Aha, my good T-Froggian, but these are only phrases! They are not meant to make sense! They are just meant to be used for their illogical meanings!"
To that I would say, "Aha, my good *insert name here*, but the reason I am not fine with that is that I find myself interpreting these phrases to mean what they actually mean, not what some drunkard back in the 1500s proclaimed them to mean (see Phrase #2)! If I hear someone saying they could care less, my first impression would be that they do care! If I hear someone saying they're all but a genius, I'll think they're quite the modest fellow!"

[/rant]

If you, too, feel the need to speak out against the usage of these and/or other phrases, please do so!

[scworld]

I just found out that I used #2 wrong all my life. Then again, I am no native-speaker.

[Tfrogs1]

Did you use it the way I use it, or the way it's "supposed" to be used?

[RoaringMad Mac]

I cannot stand when people use the phrase What Ever

[IonG.O.D.]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RoaringMad Mac:
I cannot stand when people use the phrase What Ever </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It's sort of offensive, meaning like dissrespect.

[quillan]

You know, you know, you know, you know, you know....
<span class="ev_code_RED">NO! I DON'T KNOW! IF I DID KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO BE TELLING ME THIS!!!!!</span>

And all but dead, wouldn't "mostly dead" be a better phrase, as Miracle Max put it?

[ox Se7eN xo]

it depends how you look at it.

"I could care less" is normally accompanied by "but i wont"

meaning that you dont really care, BUT you could care alot less than you already do


also, when people say they are "all but dead" we assume there is no comma after "all but"

so if we were to WRITE it, it would be "they're all, but dead"

meaning, they are everything they were previously, only they're dead now

sorry, it's my English A-Level coming into play here

as well as me rambling

[NJCL43]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">so if we were to WRITE it, it would be "they're all, but dead"

meaning, they are everything they were previously, only they're dead now </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

dont think thats right,more like there near a state of almost being dead but are not

or "the army is all but dead but theres a few left

as for WHATEVER,its usually meant as " who gives a sh*t" or "i dont give a sh*t"

[SC-Titan]

what drives me nuts is when people say good instead of well. for instance, "this sweater fits really good" when it should be,"this sweater fits really well" that drives me crazy, and it just makes people saying good look dumb!!

or when someone says me instead of I, for istance when someone says, "Jim and me went to the river", when it should be,"Jim and I went to the river" that also drives me nuts. a good way to remember the rule is just remove the other person from the sentence and see how it sounds. for instance u wouldnt say, "Me went to the river" you would of course say "I went to the river"

this is what having a grandmother who is a english teacher does to you!!