Could not care less?

[angleterre7]

Please could other people post their opions on this phrase, I am of the understanding that it is something you could not even bother caring about because you care so little. But I have heard others say that they think it means; they care so much about something they could not care any less. What are your thougths?

[jno]

I've always used it the same way as you, angleterre7. But I notice that Americans sometimes say 'I could care less', with the same meaning, which puzzles me - perhaps there's an unspoken 'as if' ('As if I could care less...'). 

[RevShirls]

I take it to mean: "I couldn't care less (than I do now)"

[paddy_36]

I always use it to mean that I really don't care about something at all, and don't think I have ever heard it used to mean the opposite.

[miss_chase]

'I couldn't care less' (england) and 'I could care less' (american) both mean the same thing which is 'I don't really care'. 

Hope that helps!

[miss_chase]

(sorry answer above seems weirdly formatted)

'I couldn't care less' (england)

and

'I could care less' (america)

both mean

'I don't really care.'

Hope that helps!

[graemer]

I asked a similar question in Jan. and got this good answer angleterre:

I think it's actually because the phrase the Americans use was originally "AS IF I could care less".  Quizmonster's example of our "cheap at half the price" is a very good comparison, as it is also used in a slightly miss-a-couple-of-words-out-and-therefore-make-it-a-bit-out-o f-context-so-it-sounds-odd way: it's a costermonger's cry of (these goods are) cheap (today) at half the (usual) price.

[joko]

Think of it as "it is impossible for me to care less than i do already because I already don't care at all"

[squarepants]

i think it means that you don't care at all therefore you would not be able to care any less!!