this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2023
2127 points (94.2% liked)
Showerthoughts
29728 readers
480 users here now
A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.
Rules
- All posts must be showerthoughts
- The entire showerthought must be in the title
- Avoid politics
- NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
- Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
- Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
- Posts must be original/unique
- Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct-----
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Especially US politics. I couldn't care less.
Or as some Americans say, "I could care less"
It'd take effort to care any less than I currently do. And I don't care enough to reduce my interest any further.
For any passing Americans who are thinking "what's the difference?", please take 3 minutes to find out.
The purpose of language is to communicate, if it is understood by the target audience it is correct.
Because language evolves and isn't prescriptivist. Especially in the US where a Founding Father wrote a dictionary to explicitly reject strict prescriptivism(it was still prescriptivist in ways but better than contemporaries).
This is not an example of evolution, this is just a widespread error.
The target understands it, therefore it is correct language
the argument is about america??
Yeah. It is about why Americans say it- so it is relevant to American history?
Why does it matter if the target audience understands it?
Yeah and they're right
Why?
Webster wouldn't have cared