I wish people would stop saying this. As a general rule you most certainly can; what's your alternative, exactly? If you had any power to affect the waiting time, you wouldn't be moaning about your inability to wait, you would either be starting it right now or else demonstrating that you can, indeed, wait. And if you have no such power, then short of suicide you're just plain wrong, and giving evidence of wrongness with every breath you take. What do you call the thing you're doing right now?
I can't stand it when people say things that they contradict with their very next breath!
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Seems like a silly complaint. The phrase isn't used literally. Just translate it to "I wish I didn't have to wait".
You might also rail against "I could care less" which actually means "I don't care very much".
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
"I can't stand it when people say things that they contradict with their very next breath!"
Yet there you are, standing it. Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
Hah, gotcha! I'm not standing it at all, I'm sitting!
"I could care less" is also a cogent point, but a lesser offense. Keelhauling, say, rather than hanging from the yardarm.
Posted by Raymond Arnold (Member # 11712) on :
"I just absorbed the knowledge through Osmosis."
No. You absorbed it through Social Diffusion, if anything. If it doesn't specifically involve water, it's not Osmosis.
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier: Seems like a silly complaint. The phrase isn't used literally. Just translate it to "I wish I didn't have to wait".
You might also rail against "I could care less" which actually means "I don't care very much".
"Could care less" actually bugs me. It should be "couldn't care less" and that's final. Posted by Raymond Arnold (Member # 11712) on :
Except that "could care less" IS technically true most of the time (usually when someone says "I couldn't care less" there are probably a lot of things that they care less about. Things that they didn't feel motivated to mention how much they cared about one way or the other.)
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
All of these phrases are so ludicrous that I am literally dying here!
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
quote:Originally posted by Raymond Arnold: Except that "could care less" IS technically true most of the time (usually when someone says "I couldn't care less" there are probably a lot of things that they care less about. Things that they didn't feel motivated to mention how much they cared about one way or the other.)
Technically true, but logically inconsistent with its purported meaning. Folks say "could care less" when they mean to say they care very little (if at all) about something. But to say they could care less does not give any point of reference as to how much they could care less. The person could actually care quite a bit about the subject.
Sure, "Couldn't care less" is most often careless hyperbole, but it's at least logically consistent with the meaning. Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Well, if we're going to be picky parsers, "Couldn't care less" doesn't actually tell us anything about the current level of caring, either, just that it can't be lowered. Perhaps they can't care less because they are just too caring to care any less than a lot.
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
quote:Originally posted by Raymond Arnold: "I just absorbed the knowledge through Osmosis."
No. You absorbed it through Social Diffusion, if anything. If it doesn't specifically involve water, it's not Osmosis.
Brain cells are mostly water.
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
quote:Originally posted by scifibum: Well, if we're going to be picky parsers, "Couldn't care less" doesn't actually tell us anything about the current level of caring, either, just that it can't be lowered. Perhaps they can't care less because they are just too caring to care any less than a lot.
Fair point.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:Originally posted by Vadon:
quote:Originally posted by Xavier: Seems like a silly complaint. The phrase isn't used literally. Just translate it to "I wish I didn't have to wait".
You might also rail against "I could care less" which actually means "I don't care very much".
"Could care less" actually bugs me. It should be "couldn't care less" and that's final.
Yeah, this one bugs me.
As does an overly liberal use of the word "literally."
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I can't wait to annoy King of Men with this post; irregardless, I'm sure he could care less.
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
I can't wait for the next post.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: irregardless
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
*kills Uprooted*
Posted by Raymond Arnold (Member # 11712) on :
quote:Brain cells are mostly water.
Huh. I may have to rethink my entire outlook on life.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: I can't wait to annoy King of Men with this post; irregardless, I'm sure he could care less.
The suspense is killing me, I can't take it anymore!
Posted by Godric (Member # 4587) on :
I'd have called emergency services for practically everyone in this thread since you all are apparently at the breaking point... but I don't know where everyone lives.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
quote:Originally posted by Vadon:
quote:Originally posted by Raymond Arnold: Except that "could care less" IS technically true most of the time (usually when someone says "I couldn't care less" there are probably a lot of things that they care less about. Things that they didn't feel motivated to mention how much they cared about one way or the other.)
Technically true, but logically inconsistent with its purported meaning. Folks say "could care less" when they mean to say they care very little (if at all) about something. But to say they could care less does not give any point of reference as to how much they could care less. The person could actually care quite a bit about the subject.
Sure, "Couldn't care less" is most often careless hyperbole, but it's at least logically consistent with the meaning.
From now on I'm going to say, "I could care more" when in this situation.
Posted by Tarrsk (Member # 332) on :
quote:Originally posted by Godric: I'd have called emergency services for practically everyone in this thread since you all are apparently at the breaking point... but I don't know where everyone lives.
cuz i'm one step closer to the edge
and I'M ABOUT TO
...
..
.
break Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
I take offense at all figurative language. And literal language as well. Why lose any opportunity to take offense?
Posted by 0Megabyte (Member # 8624) on :
That statement offends me.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
*kills Uprooted*
Hmm. Didn't realize it was you who's buttons I was pushing.
Oh and . . . I'm not dead. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Only a dead man would say "who's".
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
quote:Originally posted by King of Men: I wish people would stop saying this.
we're safe, since we can only type it to you.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Dead woman, in this case. I know, pesky gender neutral screen name.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
I can't wait until this thread is finished.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: Dead woman, in this case. I know, pesky gender neutral screen name.
Sorry! I'll try to remember.
Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
I always assumed "I could care less" to be slightly sarcastic, as in "Realistically, I could probably care less, I just can't see how at the moment".
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
Nah. It's "I couldn't care less". "I could care less" is a mistake.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Only a dead man would say "who's".
How can a man who's dead say anything?
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jon Boy:
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Only a dead man would say "who's".
How can a man who's dead say anything?
Exactly Jon, how could a dead man do something like that? *stares accusingly*
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
quote:No. You absorbed it through Social Diffusion, if anything. If it doesn't specifically involve water, it's not Osmosis.
Thank-you!
Hobbes Posted by paigereader (Member # 2274) on :
Even more cringe-worthy... "I can't hardly wait!" Top of the list for me is when people misuse anxious when they should use excited.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lisa: Nah. It's "I couldn't care less". "I could care less" is a mistake.
Only if obviously sarcastic quotes are patently 'mistaken.'
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
quote:Originally posted by Samprimary:
quote:Originally posted by Lisa: Nah. It's "I couldn't care less". "I could care less" is a mistake.
Only if obviously sarcastic quotes are patently 'mistaken.'
I just take the sarcasm for granite.
Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :
quote:Originally posted by paigereader: Top of the list for me is when people misuse anxious when they should use excited.
I haven't noticed people doing this before. Could you give an example?
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
The New International Webster's Family Dictionary sitting on my desk has this for anxious: 3 Intently eager or desirous; anxious to succeed.
Is that what you meant, paigereader? Or are you referring to some other usage?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
On "a whole nother" note, is there even a term for inserting an adjective in the middle of a word?
Posted by paigereader (Member # 2274) on :
I've heard people say things like, "I am anxious for my vacation to start!" or "anxious for my honeymoon" These statements were made by people that were excited, happy, and looking forward to the event not filled with anxiety.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
For Paige.
Edited to remove non-functional link.
[ December 03, 2009, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Jon Boy ]
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Ack. Stupid Hatrack. Try this instead.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by paigereader: I've heard people say things like, "I am anxious for my vacation to start!" or "anxious for my honeymoon" These statements were made by people that were excited, happy, and looking forward to the event not filled with anxiety.
Both the OED and Webster's online list "eagerly desirous" as one of the most common usages of the word anxious. "I'm eagerly desirous for my vacation (or honeymoon)" seems very close to the synonyms "looking forward to" or "excited".
While this is substantially different from the other common use "troubled or uneasy in mind", it is nearly always quite clear from the context which meaning is intended. I'm not sure why you find it a problem that word has two different common meanings. So do lots of other English words, this isn't even a worst case example. Consider the word "cleave" which means both to split (asunder) or to stick (together).
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
paigereader, You should also be aware that "excited" has exactly the same ambiguity of meaning. The first definition of "excited in the OED is
quote:Stirred by strong emotion, disturbed, agitated
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Taunt]](graemlins/taunt.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)