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blamebrampton ([personal profile] blamebrampton) wrote2015-07-12 12:14 pm

Quick Question for Americans

I have a usage question, fingers crossed there are a couple of people ambling by who can answer it.

I know that the use of 'I could care less' for 'I couldn't care less' is regional in the US (it's confusing to the rest of us, but once you know it exists and isn't an ironic turning of the phrase, it's easily understood, so no wuckers (as about 11 Australians still say).)

HOWEVER, I see an enormous amount of 'That's such a cliché ending,' but I don't know whether that's US standard, like aluminum*, or US regional like could care less.

Help!


* I'd say it was all Noah Webster's fault, which it pretty much is, but Humphry Davy started the whole palaver. I read an hilarious blog about ten years ago with a British scientist ranting about the fact that the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry's ruling in favour of aluminium was broadly ignored in the US. 'Fine!' he wrote. 'In that case, Sulphur! SULPHUR! Phuck you all!'
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[identity profile] kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com 2015-07-14 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
*blinks* I know I also came from SE England but I don't think I know anyone here who wouldn't get the following left thing. No one I've given instructions has had any problem with that. They have had problems with me mixing up right and left etc but that's a different thing entirely.

[identity profile] blamebrampton.livejournal.com 2015-07-14 01:54 pm (UTC)(link)
He is from Queensland and Newcastle ...

I thought it was fair enough that he was confused by it, but wasn't willing to grant that it was inherently hard. And he had lulled me into complacency by having the right next for next Saturday and so on!