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"Drink Driving" vs "Drunk Driving" Why the semantic difference?

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I've always wonder why the term "Drink Driving" is often used in Thailand as opposed to "Drunk Driving" which is the commonly used phrase in the parts of the United States where I've lived in the past. Where else in the world is the term "Drink Driving" commonly used.

From an English perspective, "Drunk Driving" seems to be grammatically correct as it emphasizes the state of intoxication, in other words a person who "has been drinking" is now "drunk" (legally intoxicated) and gets behind the wheel, and "drives." Now I have heard the phrase "Drinking while driving" which is an act in the present tense. But I've never heard the phrase "Drink Driving" in the US. So I'm sort of confused by the phrase "Drink Driving." It doesn't sound grammatically correct. Thoughts? Opinions? 🍾🍺🍻burp

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6 minutes ago, connda said:

I've always wonder why the term "Drink Driving" is often used in Thailand as opposed to "Drunk Driving"

It’s a Brit vs American thing, some Brits like to get drink, some Americans like to get drunk.

Does it matter ??

Drink Driving, Drunk Driving, Driving While Drunk, DUI, DWI etc...

It all means the same thing - Over a legal Limit to Drive.... and / or driving under the influence of intoxicating substances.

I suspect it is a legal interpretation involving level of impairment.

  • Author
7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Does it matter ??

Drink Driving, Drunk Driving, Driving While Drunk, DUI, DWI etc...

It all means the same thing - Over a legal Limit to Drive.... and / or driving under the influence of intoxicating substances.

I'm just trying to understand the semantic difference. It looks like a regional difference. I'm curious. I guess people who lack curiosity wouldn't ask the question.

3 minutes ago, connda said:

I'm just trying to understand the semantic difference.

There is none, the definition is the same.

4 minutes ago, connda said:

It looks like a regional difference.

Of course.

5 minutes ago, connda said:

I guess people who lack curiosity wouldn't ask the question.

Neither would folks who understand that there are a multitude of regional differences with idioms and use of words. Folks from bkk come to the north and discover that they can’t understand kham mueang. The same when a New Yorker finds themselves deep in the Louisiana swamp, they can’t understand a single word. Personally struggle with my British friends, their use of words are different.

22 minutes ago, connda said:

I'm just trying to understand the semantic difference. It looks like a regional difference. I'm curious. I guess people who lack curiosity wouldn't ask the question.

I think the 'regional difference' is the answer - its more of a colloquialism than a legal term.

The same can be said for "I couldn't care less" - which is commonly used by the British, whereas "I could care less" is commonly used by those from the USA.

"I couldn't care less" makes more sense to me (being British) - as it means, I really couldn't care any less about this issue than I currently do... "I could care less" seems to imply a certain degree of 'care' when taken literally.

But... explained by 'Americans'... it actually takes on a sarcastic meaning "I could care less, but I care so little, I don't"

Now, why do people from the USA call themselves Americans, when America covers two continents and 35 countries ?

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

The same can be said for "I couldn't care less" - which is commonly used by the British, whereas "I could care less" is commonly used by those from the USA.

So sorry to disabuse you from your false observation:

"I could not care less" is used in the USA.

Or, it is used by me, and I am from America.

I could care less is not semantically logical....

Given the intended meaning, based on the context in which it is used.

Only nitwits would utter such an utterance as you attribute to being used by Americans.

And, Americans, to quote Twain, are anything but nitwits...

Or, Americans, are nothing but nitwits....

Your choice, Sir.

It doesn't mean the same thing.

People can have a drink in their system and alcohol on their breathe, but are under the legal limit. They had a drink, but are not over the limit or.. drunk diving.

They changed the drink driving laws in Australia over the years. The original term drunk driving was challenged in the courts and many people beat it. Then came driving under the influence and that was thrown out for much of the same reasons. Then came the driver was driving whilst exceeding the legal limit, that has lasted for a long time because if you were drunk or not the person was over the legal limit

Shouldn't it in fact be "driving drunk" instead of "drunk driving"?

2 beers and under the limit - Drink Driving.

10 beers and over the limit - Drunk Driving.

49 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

So sorry to disabuse you from your false observation:

"I could not care less" is used in the USA.

Or, it is used by me, and I am from America.

I could care less is not semantically logical....

Given the intended meaning, based on the context in which it is used.

Only nitwits would utter such an utterance as you attribute to being used by Americans.

And, Americans, to quote Twain, are anything but nitwits...

Or, Americans, are nothing but nitwits....

Your choice, Sir.

On the topic of “nitwits,” Twain is often quoted as saying: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt”....

Which part of America are you from - Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, or the United States?

I am particularly curious to hear from those who grew up in the U.S., as I have frequently encountered the expression “I could care less” being used almost universally there.

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Which part of America are you from - Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, or the United States?

I am from the Taiwan part of America.

Same as my fellow countryman, ....

image.png

I guess you might know that Taiwan is the 52nd state of the United States.

It has been this way since 1945.

In fact, it was due to America, principally, that the old regime of the KMT was thrown out...

And then LeeDengHui moved in.

Lee attended a uni in Iowa.

Agriculture, or something....

But, please, don't get me started on Cross-Strait relations.

Oh, yes: Does Shih Ming-Teh, and the Formosa Magazine thingy ring a bell with you?

There is so much to tell about America, and so little time.

Anyway, in Taiwan: Zhi yao he jiu, jiu be kai che....

image.png

This warning was introduced before 2000.

And, this is why I left Taiwan, to come to Thailand.

In my view, having a snort, or two, is harmless.

Drink Driving arose alongside the introduction of strict blood alcohol concentration limits in the 1960s, to stress that the offense involves driving after consuming alcohol—even small amounts that push you over the legal limit—without needing to appear visibly "drunk" or heavily intoxicated.

On 1/1/2026 at 5:56 PM, richard_smith237 said:

On the topic of “nitwits,” Twain is often quoted as saying: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt”....

Which part of America are you from - Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, or the United States?

I am particularly curious to hear from those who grew up in the U.S., as I have frequently encountered the expression “I could care less” being used almost universally there.

Born and lived in the US 62 years, and "I couldn't care less" is what I and everyone I knew used. The proper term is "I couldn't care less", meaning caring as low as possible. "I could care less" means there is still room to care less.

As far as drink driving or drunk driving, I never heard of drink driving until I moved here. Anyone caught drinking while driving was usually labeled as drunk driving. There is also driving while impaired, which means they had enough to be illegal but not totally drunk.

On 1/1/2026 at 6:23 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

I am from the Taiwan part of America.

Same as my fellow countryman, ....

image.png

I guess you might know that Taiwan is the 52nd state of the United States.

It has been this way since 1945.

In fact, it was due to America, principally, that the old regime of the KMT was thrown out...

And then LeeDengHui moved in.

Lee attended a uni in Iowa.

Agriculture, or something....

But, please, don't get me started on Cross-Strait relations.

Oh, yes: Does Shih Ming-Teh, and the Formosa Magazine thingy ring a bell with you?

There is so much to tell about America, and so little time.

Anyway, in Taiwan: Zhi yao he jiu, jiu be kai che....

image.png

This warning was introduced before 2000.

And, this is why I left Taiwan, to come to Thailand.

In my view, having a snort, or two, is harmless.

Never heard of the Taiwan part of America. There are locations in major cities where a large ethnic group lives, like Chinatown in some cities, or Little Italy.

On 1/1/2026 at 3:17 PM, richard_smith237 said:

"I couldn't care less" makes more sense to me (being British) - as it means, I really couldn't care any less about this issue than I currently do... "I could care less" seems to imply a certain degree of 'care' when taken literally.

Absolutely correct , the phrase should indeed be "I could not care less" anything else is obviously incorrect, As you say , the term "could care less" clearly implies that one does currently care to some degree or other. The term "i'm not that bothered" would be more appropriate.

Regardless of what Americans think, to a native British speaker "I could care less" just sounds inherently wrong, because it is

So , to all Americans and to use another ridiculous Americanism "Stop it already"

2 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Never heard of the Taiwan part of America. There are locations in major cities where a large ethnic group lives, like Chinatown in some cities, or Little Italy.

It's located just across the Formosa Strait, off the coast of China.

Most people there have been educated in the USA.

Also, drunk driving laws follow those of the other 52 states of the United States.

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It's located just across the Formosa Strait, off the coast of China.

Most people there have been educated in the USA.

Also, drunk driving laws follow those of the other 52 states of the United States.

You do realize Taiwan isn't a part of America right? Most Taiwanese have been educated in Taiwan, or China.

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Most people there have been educated in the USA.

You have begun to outdo your own idiocy. Do you know what most means?

I suspect that "drink driving" started as a bastardised derivation of the exhortation not to "drink and drive" and was not nipped in the bud by educators nor by newspapers' style guides.

Don't drink and drive —> don't drink drive —> he has been drink driving

Give it a few more years and we shall see new variations like "he drank drove", etc.

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place

 

I tryd to google what the diffey is but canna bang the keebord.

I' too drunk....er....too drink....belch.🙃🙃

7 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

...I' too drunk....er....too drink....belch.🙃🙃

Sober up by eating something. Many Chinese restaurants have drunken chicken (醉鸡) on the menu.

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place

 

  • Author
7 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Absolutely correct , the phrase should indeed be "I could not care less" anything else is obviously incorrect

I just shorten it to "I don't give a rip," which is a little nicer that the four letter scatological term that can be used in place of "rip." 💩

On 1/1/2026 at 2:29 PM, connda said:

I've always wonder why the term "Drink Driving" is often used in Thailand as opposed to "Drunk Driving"

No verb tenses in the Thai language?

On 1/1/2026 at 3:17 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Now, why do people from the USA call themselves Americans, when America covers two continents and 35 countries ?

Additionally, USA is often shortened to US or "The States".

"American" is usually meant to refer to a citizen of the USA.

The only thing to understand here is just cut the booze when you need to drive. Not that difficult to understand without having to play around with semantics and stray away from the real issue.

11 hours ago, connda said:

I just shorten it to "I don't give a rip," which is a little nicer that the four letter scatological term that can be used in place of "rip." 💩

some times i couldn't give a f**k

sometimes I couldn't give 2 f**ks

and sometimes I couldn't give a flying f**k not sure which is worse

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