Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007

Ahh, I could care less.

I've heard that idiom, I've used it, and I'll use it again
whenever occasion arises.  But the pattern of stress and
intonation  has to be right to avoid reversing the meaning.

Note that even with the "not" in place, the meaning can
still be reversed with appropriate intonation and stress, as
in

     That'll teach HIM not to LAUGH at the boss's jokes.

where falling intonation on "jokes" is needed.

If the intended meaning is "He should now understand that he
must not laugh at the boss's jokes", there's a rising
intonation from "boss's" to "jokes", and the only special
stress is on "him".

To better show what I mean, I've recorded the two
statements.  You can hear them at

www.exw6sxq.com/sparky/aue_related/speech_examples/jokes_up.wav

and

www.exw6sxq.com/sparky/aue_related/speech_examples/jokes_down.wav

By the way, if I feel the urge to use the "not", I will put
it between the "to" and the infinitive, where it seems more
natural.

    That'll teach him to not laugh in church.

[..]

This one is straightforward:
I am learning "Don't jump to conclusions!"

This one is similar to learning "proof by contradiction" in math -- you
go the long way around, sorta:

I am learning "Laughing in church has consequences!"

/dps