British / US English differences

[richwarm]

Regarding "could care less" and "couldn't care less" (supposedly) having the same meaning ~

to table v.t.

1 (US) to postpone discussion of something

2 (UK) to propose something for discussion

;-)

[jbradfor]

[off topic, sooooo off topic....]

Not as bad as "cleave".

flammable vs inflammable isn't too bad either.

[skylee]

[ offtopic ]so "bone" vs "unbone" is not too bad either?[ /offtopic]

[Hofmann]

Let me just say that "I could care less" is in the minority in my part of the US. It almost makes sense, i.e. "I care now, but I wish I didn't."

But eh, I'm not an English major. Get thee to Wikipedia.

[Guest realmayo]

Kind of reminds me of (no Chinese characters here) hao rongyi = hao bu rongyi.

Edit: sorry for offtopic haaha

[jbradfor]

so "bone" vs "unbone" is not too bad either?

I can't speak for others, but I think "debone" is more common than "unbone" around here.

But yes, I like that example too.

[anonymoose]

And what does "bone" (as a verb) mean?

[muirm]

I would guess it means inserting the bone into the meat.

[Guest realmayo]

erm, that is a newer meaning....

then of course there's the verb to dust, which means to remove dust, and the verb to dust, which means to add dust.

[jbradfor]

And what does "bone" (as a verb) mean?

The non-vulgar meaning is "to remove the bones from <bone a fish>" ( see http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bone?show=1&t=1323272020 )

[WestTexas]

I've never heard anyone say 'unbone' ever...

[Hofmann]

Nah..."bone" means 撞.

[liuzhou]

According to the esteemed Steven Pinker, in his book The Language Instinct:

"I could care less" is irony (or sarcasm), whereas "I couldn't care less" is literal. Therefore the meanings are the same, just as "Oh great!" can mean you are happy at the news you just received, or with a different intonation that you are not happy at all.

I think that was certainly the case when the expression "I could care less" first appeared. Since then it seems to have become relatively standard among a certain group of people, particularly in the US.

[creamyhorror]

"I could care less" is irony (or sarcasm), whereas "I couldn't care less" is literal. Therefore the meanings are the same, just as "Oh great!" can mean you are happy at the news you just received, or with a different intonation that you are not happy at all.

Yeah, I've heard this explanation before a few times. If it really were sarcasm, it would be said in a sarcastic tone, rather than the automatic way it's said the (few) times I've heard it. I think it's just become a fixed expression that many people don't think about now.

I find 好容易 weird, although I know it's considered correct. We always say 好不容易 here.

[liuzhou]

I think it's just become a fixed expression that many people don't think about now.

Yes. that is what I said!