One of the fun things about living overseas is meeting other Americans here. Understanding folks from "other parts" of the US and their mannerisms and phrases can be a unique cultural experience in itself. One of our friends here is originally from California. He was needing to go somewhere without his kids. Upon this dilemma I responded, "I wouldn't care to watch them."
This friend got a big belly laugh over my response of "I wouldn't care." Evidently, saying "I wouldn't care" implies that you really do not want to watch them. "I would not care" says the opposite of caring to do something. Oh, brother! We need some KY folks here to straighten these guys out.
So now when there's something I really don't want to do, but I'm trying to be polite, I'll say, "I wouldn't care to do that" as a joke. But when I originally said it, I really didn't care to watch them. Oh no, I did it again, except this time I said didn't instead of wouldn't.
Have you ever used the phrase "I wouldn't care" meaning you'd be glad to do something? Am I the only hick who has ever used that phrase?
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6 comments:
Being a Yank from PA I was amazed to hear about this just the other day from my Mississippi friend. It makes absolutely no sense to me to use a negative to express a positive!!
But THIS is part of what makes such an interesting world, eh?
If that comment confused a fellow American, just think how confused your interpreter would have been! It's actually quite funny since I had just read your post about the mangled English on the Hippo cover on the kids' notebooks!
Glad to know about your blog--really enjoyed catching up. Your photos make us nostalgic---and hungry! Looking forward to checking in with you often.
Sandy and Ray
I'm originally from Alabama and moved to Kentucky a few years ago. In both places "I wouldn't care" means "I'd be happy to." You might like to know that this phrase has caused so much confusion in the U.S. that it was actually the topic of discussion in a psychology class I took.
Good luck with the language barrier...Asian and Californian :).
You're right, that sounds perfectly normal to a Kentuckian! It's real suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuthern. LOL
My husband and I were just talking about this the other day! Being from Indiana and Cleveland, Ohio respectively, this phrase was new to us!
Lisa, I say would you care....all the
time. and I'm from Lousiville so it's not a Somerset thing. Take care and
keep up the happy
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