'I couldn't careless'?

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Wacky109

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Is it just me, or is this expression is confusing?

I couldn't careless

I mean, isn't like a double negative or something of the likes?  I couldn't careless = I couldn't careless = I could care?
Is it where the grammar rules of the negatives don't apply?

It's usually mixed up with 'I could careless', but people say that's wrong.

I'm wondering, why is the 'I couldn't careless' expression is more correct than 'I could careless', taken the definition that you have no care about things?  I tried looking it up, but it still bugs me with confusion.

Any ideas?  Perhaps discuss?
 
I couldn't care less = I am incapable of caring any less than I currently do

It looks like they should cancel out, but they don't. It's a complicated explanation but basically they're different parts of speech (adverb vs. adj).
It'd be a double negative if someone said "I couldn't be careless."

/honors english
 
Slacker said:
I couldn't care less = I am incapable of caring any less than I currently do

It looks like they should cancel out, but they don't. It's a complicated explanation but basically they're different parts of speech (adverb vs. adj).
It'd be a double negative if someone said "I couldn't be careless."

/honors english
Click to expand...
Took the words right out of my mouth. :thumbsup:
 
Slacker said:
I couldn't care less = I am incapable of caring any less than I currently do

It looks like they should cancel out, but they don't. It's a complicated explanation but basically they're different parts of speech (adverb vs. adj).
It'd be a double negative if someone said "I couldn't be careless."

/honors english
Click to expand...

Alright, makes sense.  Thank you for that!
 
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