I could care less

Here's an article that tries to provide some reasoning for the American switch of "I couldn't care less," to "I could care less," a change that bothers me to no end. It's from a website that has just this minute become one of my favorites: worldwidewords.org.

On this particular subject though, I think I have to disagree with Steven Pinker (who is referenced in the article linked above). Pinker thinks that "I couldn't care less" has been changed so that it better fits in a family of phrases that is prominent in Yiddish culture. While the cadence of the latter form does seem to lend itself to a disdainful use, I don't think that it quite fits with the grouping, "I should be so lucky," and "Tell me about it." Both of these phrases retain a delivery that indicates the speaker understand himself to be giving a sarcastic reply. "I could care less," on the other hand, is delivered matter of factly.