[General] turn red/ moved beyond words/ couldn't care less

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you tell me your opinion concerning the interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentences?

Rosemary was so surprised that she turned red.

turn red = become red, blush, flush

Rosemary was moved beyond words.

move = touch

Some people couldn’t care less.

couldn’t care less = doesn’t mean a thing to at all

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[TheParser]

Dear teachers,

Would you tell me your opinion concerning the interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentences?

Rosemary was so surprised that she turned red.

turn red = become red, blush, flush

Rosemary was moved beyond words.

move = touch

Some people couldn’t care less.

couldn’t care less = doesn’t mean a thing to at all

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V

***** NOT A TEACHER *****
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Vil,


Just wanted to congratulate you on saying "I could not care less."

Many (many!!!) native speakers say: "I could care less."


THANK YOU

 

[buggles]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****
************************


Vil,


Just wanted to congratulate you on saying "I could not care less."

Many (many!!!) native speakers say: "I could care less."


THANK YOU

Only in the US.

Native speakers of BrE still say, "I couldn't care less."

 

[MrPedantic]

1. Rosemary was so surprised that she turned red.

You're right to say that "turn red" = "become red"; and you're right to imply that surprise can elicit a flush. However, you would usually say that someone "turned red" in the context of embarrassment, rather than surprise. ("Turn red" tends to suggest a deep blush, rather than a flush.)

2. Rosemary was moved beyond words.

Yes, "moved" is very similar to "touched", in your context, and your sentence is good; but perhaps "moved" suggests a deeper emotion. I am touched if you remember my birthday; I am moved if you travel 50 miles to cook me a chicken casserole when I'm ill.

3. Some people couldn’t care less.

Your explanation "couldn’t care less = doesn’t mean a thing to at all" doesn't entirely make sense. Maybe: "X couldn't care less about Y" = "Y doesn't mean anything to X".

Best wishes,

MrP