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"Couldn't care less" vs. "Could care less"

2/24/2012

Although I feel the picture is self-explanatory, I'll elaborate.

"I couldn't care less" is an idiom. An idiom is an expression in which the words that create it must be interpreted separately from its literal meaning. It has a figurative meaning. It just so happens that this idiom is both literal and figurative at the same time.

"I couldn't care less" means that you do not care at all.
Example of when the phrase "couldn't care less" is used correctly:
-- His opinions are so far-fetched, I couldn't care less about them.
Meaning: I don't care at all about his opinions.

Because the expression is an idiom, to try and make use of it, but in the affirmative, is illogical.
Example of trying to use "could care less" correctly:
-- I hate when people swear too much. I could care less.
Meaning: I hate when people swear too much. Why do I care?

Although it is not impossible, to use the expression in the affirmative is awkward.

1 Comment

Continuous vs. Continual

2/17/2012

0 Comments

Today I was writing an article for my organization's newsletter when I came upon key messaging that had the phrase "continuous communication". It seemed awkward. I felt that the word to be used should have been "continual", not "continuous". I performed a Google search and found the following explanation, which then allowed me to choose the right word.

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Taken from:
Daily Writing Tips

Both adjectives describe duration.

Continuous indicates duration without interruption.
For Example:
The continuous humming of the fluorescent lights gave him a headache.

Continual indicates duration that continues over a long period of time, but with intervals of interruption.
For Example:
The continual street repair disrupted traffic for nearly two years.
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Based on these definitions and examples, I was able to determine that the communication would involve intervals of interruption over the course of a year; people do go home. As a result, the right choice was to write "continual communication".

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Thank you vs. Thank-you

2/10/2012

5 Comments

When offering a short answer like this, separate 'thank you' with a comma.

The answer as to whether you should or should not hyphenate 'thank you' really does depend on how it is used.

As a VERB - Do not hyphenate.
For example:
- Thank you for meeting me.
- I thank you for this opportunity.

As an ADJECTIVE - Hyphenate.
When 'thank you' is used as an adjective before a noun, it must be hyphenated. We do this to show that the adjective acts as a single idea.
For example:
- Holly likes to send thank-you cards for presents she receives.

As a NOUN - The grammatically correct answer is to either hyphenate, or to create one word.
I'm going to allow you to use your own judgment on this one. My personal preference is to avoid using
'thank you' as a noun. I would use a word like 'gratitude' if the context is formal, or 'thanks' if the context is informal.
For example:
- I would like to offer my gratitude for services rendered. (formal)
- Giving thanks before dinner is a family tradition. (informal)

5 Comments

Farther vs. Further

2/3/2012

1 Comment

Both 'farther' and 'further' are acceptable adverbs in this example.

Distance -
When we describe distance, both farther and further can be used. These adverbs become interchangeable in this case.
For Example:
- How much farther do I have left in the marathon?
- How much further do I have left in the marathon?

In both instances, the meaning is the same.

Additional -
Further (not farther) can also mean 'additional', 'extra', 'furthermore', and 'more advanced'.
Do not use farther to describe theses meanings.
For Example:
- For further information, please comment on this blog post.

NOTE: If in doubt, just use further because it encompasses both meanings.

1 Comment

"Couldn't care less" vs. "Could care less"

Continuous vs. Continual

Thank you vs. Thank-you

Farther vs. Further

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