I Don’t Care To

"I don’t care to" in Appalachian and Southern speech means "I don’t mind" or "I’d be happy to," not "I’d rather not." This distinctive regional usage often surprises non-Southerners.

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synonyms: I don’t mind, sure I will, I’d be glad to, happy to

Hillbilly Dude Says...

If somebody says to you, 'I don’t care to,' that means they're happy to. It's another common phrase down here.

Pronunciation

[ah DONT CARE tuh] /aɪ doʊnt ˈkɛɚ tə/

Meaning & Usage

- To Agree or Express Willingness (Southern/Appalachian usage)

Mae:

Could you hand me that hammer?

Earl:

Sure, I don’t care to.

- Same Pattern in Other Persons

Hazel:

She don’t care to stay late if we need her.

Ruby:

Good to know.

variations: I don’t mind to, I’d be happy to, we don’t care to, he don’t care to, she don’t care to, they don’t care to, don’t care to

★ In mainstream English "I don’t care to" usually means "I don’t want to," but in Southern/Appalachian speech it flips to mean "I don’t mind" or "I’d be glad to." Pay attention to tone and context to avoid confusion. ★

Origin

This construction traces back to older British and Irish English where "care" meant "mind." Scots-Irish settlers brought it to the Appalachian region, where it survived even after disappearing from most of American English.

Notes

This usage is still alive across the South and Appalachia, especially among older speakers. It appears in all persons and numbers:

I don’t care to - I’m happy to
We don’t care to - We’re happy to
He/She don’t care to - He/She’s happy to
They don’t care to - They’re happy to

Outsiders (unhillbillies) often misunderstand this pattern, thinking it means refusal instead of willingness.

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it natural: "I don’t care to" often runs together as "I don’t care t’" or "I don’t keer to" in relaxed speech.

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Does "I don’t care to" mean "I’d rather not" or "I don’t mind to"?

In Southern/Appalachian speech it means "I don’t mind" / "I’m happy to."

Is this usage still alive today?

Yes - it’s a well-known regionalism, though younger speakers sometimes switch to "I don’t mind" to avoid confusion.

Where did this come from?

It’s a survival of older English usage brought to the region by settlers, especially Scots-Irish.

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