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'Can't be asked' or 'Cant be arsed?'

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It has always been the latter; the former is used by god botherers who don't want to swear and children who either overhear said god botherers or mishear someone saying the correct phrase.
Original post by Kiytt
How doesn't it make sense? It's essentially condensing "I can't fulfill your request"/"I can't do what you ask".

And yes, the former being an actual verb makes it far more likely to be the original derivative of the phrase, since it's extremely unlikely that the term "arsed" was invented for use within that one saying (as it's not present in any other that I can think of).


Erm.. 'I can't do what you asked' is different to 'I cannot be asked' - the latter is explicitly saying you can't even ask the request in the first place. Which, I don't know about you, makes no sense once the request has been given.

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Can't be asked.

Because I like it :smile:
Original post by AthiaKarim
Can't be asked.

Because I like it :smile:


I like a cheeky 4:30 am Taylor Swift marathon, doesn't make it right


Posted from TSR Mobile
I'm pretty sure most kids in my high school actually said "I can't be arksed", pronounced "ark-sd". Like the k would come before the s when saying "asked".

I agree with others though, saying I can't be asked makes no sense. You can be asked, you probably just were, so shut up. :facepalm:
Reply 45
Avatar for Kiytt
Kiytt
11
Original post by Princepieman
Erm.. 'I can't do what you asked' is different to 'I cannot be asked' - the latter is explicitly saying you can't even ask the request in the first place. Which, I don't know about you, makes no sense once the request has been given.

Posted from TSR Mobile


"Can you do the dishes?" -> "I can't be asked to do the dishes". Obviously it is not literal in its meaning as they were just asked, but rather "I can't be asked and expected to do this".

It's a colloquial phrase, so its meaning is not going to be literal—but it still utilises the verb "ask" in a context that it makes sense. "Arsed", on the other hand, makes no sense whatsoever.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Kiytt
"Can you do the dishes?" -> "I can't be asked to do the dishes". Obviously it is not literal in its meaning as they were just asked, but rather "I can't be asked and expected to do this".

It's a colloquial phrase, so its meaning is not going to be literal—but it still utilises the verb "ask" in a context that it makes sense. "Arsed", on the other hand, makes no sense whatsoever.


Arsed is common colloquial vernacular. Asked in this context is not, and should not be used in the context we're speaking of.
Reply 47
Avatar for HFBS
HFBS
11
"I can't be asked" would go on my list of fundamentally wrong phrases that someone has misheard, right next to " I could care less" and "I axed them".
Original post by HFBS
"I can't be asked" would go on my list of fundamentally wrong phrases that someone has misheard, right next to " I could care less" and "I axed them".


This ^

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Reply 49
Avatar for Kiytt
Kiytt
11
Original post by Princepieman
Arsed is common colloquial vernacular. Asked in this context is not, and should not be used in the context we're speaking of.


I still maintain that "I can't be arsed" simply serves as a more profane variant of the former. "Arsed" mimics the pronunciation of "asked", hence why it is used. "I can't be f*cked" is another, less imitative variant.
(edited 8 years ago)
Who the heck is voting can't be asked??? :lolwut:
Original post by HFBS
"I can't be asked" would go on my list of fundamentally wrong phrases that someone has misheard, right next to " I could care less" and "I axed them".

I axed him right down the middle innit
People who say the former are halfwits.

/thread.
Original post by Kiytt
I still maintain that "I can't be arsed" simply serves as a more profane variant of the former. "Arsed" mimics the pronunciation of "asked", hence why it is used. "I can't be f*cked" is another, less imitative variant.


:rofl: Sorry, I just can't believe people are actually voting for "can't be asked" :rofl:

For what it's worth, "can't be arsed" is in the OED (and was cited as far back as 1968) and "can't be asked" is not.
Reply 54
Avatar for Ua3142
Ua3142
OP
18
Damn you guys are brutal
my head is literally exploding at the levels of hypocrisy in this thread from the "can't be arsed" people
(edited 5 years ago)

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