# People who insist on using the wrong word **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585 "2014-06-25T04:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![huitzilopochtli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@huitzilopochtli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huitzilopochtli)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/1 "2014-06-25T04:35:56Z")
I didn’t want to hack the current thread on mispronunciation or have a conversation about the downfall of the word literally although I mourn it’s loss. I wonder how many people know someone who says atypical when they mean the opposite. I have known 3 people who choose to use that word incorrectly. The first I dated for about 3 months before I figured out what the hell he was talking about. He didn’t care when I tried to explain to him, he figured it got his point across. This one sticks in my head but I’m sure there are others. I know a woman who swore she was going to get gingivitis from a guy who inadvertently got his armpit sweat on her shoulder. She meant to say gonorrhea. That’s absurd but kinda funny. Do you know people who choose to use the wrong word even if they know it’s wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/2 "2014-06-25T04:51:42Z")
“I could care less”… “I pulled my trousers up over my stomach”. How high is that ??? ---
**Author:** ![huitzilopochtli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@huitzilopochtli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huitzilopochtli)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/3 "2014-06-25T05:45:45Z")
Good point on the could care less. Do you find that people continue to use that even after a discussion of why it doesn’t make sense? I’ve heard arguments as to why it does make sense to some people and can almost buy it. As far as the trouser thing. I haven’t the foggiest idea what the crud you are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/4 "2014-06-25T05:47:52Z")
Norm Crosby made a career out of such abuse of malapropisms – for their humorous aspects. Among several of my friends we go out of our way to use marginally sound-alike substitutions wherever possible just for the laugh. Examples: Patriot instead of portrait (or vice versa) Instead of having therapy one gets theraped Ingenuous instead of ingenious Posterior as a substitute for ulterior It’s more of an inside joking than a display of ignorance. Usually! I already mentioned in a recent thread how one buddy replaces “kosher” with “cultured” and I’m 80% sure he doesn’t know that what he’s saying is funny. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/5 "2014-06-25T05:52:28Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > “I could care less”… > > “I pulled my trousers up over my stomach”. How high is that ??? “Head over heels” Isn’t that the normal situation? ---
**Author:** ![huitzilopochtli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@huitzilopochtli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huitzilopochtli)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/6 "2014-06-25T05:57:26Z")
I just don’t get how any of that is funny. Yeah, I know I’m the dense one. Can you explain in a way that doesn’t reference an insurance commercial? I really don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/7 "2014-06-25T05:57:30Z")
I don’t really get why people have a problem with “I could care less”. It’s just basic irony. “I couldn’t care less” is just a blunt statement of fact. “I could care less” inverts the statement, adding sarcasm to the mix. Different meaning. And if you’re one of those sticks in the mud who insist that “it doesn’t make logical sense, dammit”, then, well, I could care less. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![huitzilopochtli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@huitzilopochtli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huitzilopochtli)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/8 "2014-06-25T06:00:42Z")
I don’t have a problem with caring less or not caring less. I think it works either way. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/9 "2014-06-25T13:54:08Z")
‘I could care less [than you]’ is another way to look at it. But that just seems like a back peddle. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/10 "2014-06-25T17:15:59Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Instead of having therapy one gets theraped Ask your psychiatrist: Ever noticed that “therapist” also says “the rapist”? Maybe “I could care less” implies “Well, maybe I could care less if I actually cared enough to do so.” ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/11 "2014-06-25T17:32:00Z")
It doesn’t bother me. I’m definitely nonplussed about it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/12 "2014-06-25T17:56:11Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Maybe “I could care less” implies “Well, maybe I could care less if I actually cared enough to do so.” Whereas, “I couldn’t care less” is like saying you’re at rock bottom on your ability to give a shit. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-insist-on-using-the-wrong-word/691585/13 "2014-06-25T18:00:36Z")
Irregardless. I used to use it but I stopped. I still like the sound of it though