tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post2821167988855537106..comments2024-03-16T00:21:43.240+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: different from/than/tolynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-5284695181716286572015-06-27T23:04:50.897+01:002015-06-27T23:04:50.897+01:00For centuries, educated people knew that the prefi...For centuries, educated people <b>knew</b> that the prefix <i>dis-</i>in its various forms, including <i>dif-</i> meant 'from'. This knowledge was forgotten but its legacy is a preference for following <i>from</i>, which I share with many/most BrE speakers.<br /><br />The rise of following <i>to</i> is natural enough, given parallels with <i>in contrast to, contrary to</i> etc. I doubt if I ever notice whether somebody has said or written <i>different to</i> rather than <i>different from</i>. But <i>different than</i> always stands out as odd. One of those things we take to be an Americanism that probably really is one.<br /><br />I must caveat that. What stands out as alien is when <i>different</i> is followed by <i>than <b>and a noun phrase</b></i>. The examples quoted above<br /><br /><i>"I was a very different man in 1935 than in 1916."<br /> 'How different things appear in Washington than in London'</i><br /><br />have <i>different</i> followed by phrases that are adverbial in function and prepositional in form. Because they aren't noun phrases, they don't stick out.<br /><br />I can't agree with the blanket rule that <i>than</i> is pan-dialectal preceding a clause. To my ears, Meg's<br /><br /><i>That's different than being a part-time lecturer</i><br /><br />is just as alien as<br /><br /><i>different than me</i>.<br /><br />However, I might well not notice <i>than</i> before a finite clause<br /><br /><i>It's different than what it was last time we spoke</i>.<br /><br />Strangely, the oddity of <i>than</i> seems to dissipate when <i>different</i> is used 'attributively' before a noun<br /><br /><i>a different answer than the one she gave yesterday</i> <br /><br />Myself, I think I'd prefer<br /><br /><i>a different answer to the one she gave yesterday</i><br /><br />although I'd probably prefer <i>from</i> in<br /><br /><i>his answer was different from hers</i>David Crosbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01858358459416955921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-10201919133757746442015-06-27T13:18:11.672+01:002015-06-27T13:18:11.672+01:00In the given sentence, i would use from, however, ...In the given sentence, i would use from, however, if the sentence did not end in, "in many ways," I would use than. I'm from Ohio and am positive that in school we did comparisons with different than and same as in math, and probably other subjects, too.RJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-21833987596045438432014-07-02T00:47:36.774+01:002014-07-02T00:47:36.774+01:00I accidentally used "separate to" in the...I accidentally used "separate to" in the phrase "your encryption key is stored in a separate file to your encrypted password". Is this another manifestation of the same phenomenon or have I just murdered English grammar?Neil Rashbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14217111205775776357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-28152676040694530232014-05-18T21:52:41.085+01:002014-05-18T21:52:41.085+01:00British English differs from American English in m...British English differs from American English in many ways; the two are different in many ways. But I can't say that one is <i>different from/than/to</i> the other.Neil Rashbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14217111205775776357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-84567396931583721402009-06-22T16:05:17.984+01:002009-06-22T16:05:17.984+01:00The above information can be found here: http://ww...The above information can be found here: http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxdiffer.htmlUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02808048293937131772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-27205855022003308702008-02-18T18:46:00.000+00:002008-02-18T18:46:00.000+00:00I'm afraid I can't remember where I found these st...I'm afraid I can't remember where I found these stats, but I have a note that the Collins Cobuild Bank of English shows the choice of preposition to be distributed as:<BR/><BR/> "from" "to" "than"<BR/> ----- ---- ------<BR/>U.K. writing 87.6 10.8 1.5<BR/>U.K. speech 68.8 27.3 3.9<BR/>U.S. writing 92.7 0.3 7.0<BR/>U.S. speech 69.3 0.6 30.1Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-61032801910942243442007-08-25T20:18:00.000+01:002007-08-25T20:18:00.000+01:00This is probably the only usage difference between...This is probably the only usage difference between USA and UK which REALLY bothers me - almost like the "moist panties" reaction some people suffer. As a Scot with a wife hailing mostly from California, I meet all the usual variations and am OK with them, but for some reason, 'different than' has my back hairs on end.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-22166774624012322022007-08-02T11:34:00.000+01:002007-08-02T11:34:00.000+01:00as a Brit I think part of my loathing of "differen...as a Brit I think part of my loathing of "different than" is because to my ear "than" is used solely (?) with a comparative, and "different" is not a comparative. "More different" is however, so it would sound fine to me to say for example, "these three buttons are more different than those three buttons".<BR/><BR/>As to "to" or "from", both are fine by me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-49816115325782498292007-07-26T16:56:00.000+01:002007-07-26T16:56:00.000+01:00Just to share some other sources:Chicago Manual of...Just to share some other sources:<BR/><BR/>Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition (p.210): "The phrasing <I>different from</I> is generally preferable to <I>different than</I>, but sometimes the adverbial phrase <I>differently than</I> is all but required [she described the scene differently than he did].<BR/><BR/>From Bill Bryson's <I>Troublesome Words</I>, p. 56: <B>different from, to than.</B> There is a continuing belief among some writers and editors that <I>different</I> may be followed only by <I>from</I>. At least since 1960, when the Fowler brothers raised the issue in <I>The King's English</I>, many authorities have been pointing out that there is no real basis for this belief, but still it persists.<BR/><I>Different from</I> is, to be sure, the usual form in most sentences and the only acceptable form in some, as when it precedes a noun or pronoun ('My car is different from his,' 'Men are different from women'). But when <I>different</I> introduces a clause, there can be no valid objection to following it with a <I>to</I> (though this usage is chiefly British) ot <I>than</I>, as in the sentence by John Maynard KeynesL 'How different things appear in Washington than in London'. . .Andy Hollandbeckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11005908016945472261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-77373548719436609892007-07-25T20:27:00.000+01:002007-07-25T20:27:00.000+01:00sarah: the complement of "similar to" is not "diff...sarah: the complement of "similar to" is not "different from", it's "dissimilar to". "dissimilar to" also bolsters the acceptability of "different to", just as "other than" supports the case for "different than".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-18100684478722383302007-07-25T07:23:00.000+01:002007-07-25T07:23:00.000+01:00Nancy - as a BrE speaker, I would say in regard to...Nancy - as a BrE speaker, I would say <I>in regard to</I> as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-49279929797462470622007-07-25T05:42:00.000+01:002007-07-25T05:42:00.000+01:00What's irritating is when people write something l...What's irritating is when people write something like, "American English is different then British English." Then! <BR/><BR/>Is my eye the only one that twitches?<BR/><BR/>I filled in the blank with /than/. I said the phrase out loud... it doesn't sound weird using /from/, but it doesn't quite flow out of my mouth. But that may be because I'm just used to saying /than/.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-67323441161396083192007-07-25T04:34:00.000+01:002007-07-25T04:34:00.000+01:00I would use "different than" in writing, but I con...I would use "different than" in writing, but I confess--I would use "different from" if I were simply speaking aloud to someone. But someone saying "She does it different than me" would grate on my nerves like nails scratching a chalkboard.<BR/><BR/>Also, I agree with Meg's observation that they are used in different situations. (I'm from Kansas origianlly, by the way.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-14923868258078800382007-07-25T02:20:00.000+01:002007-07-25T02:20:00.000+01:00Hi Just found your site looking for information on...Hi Just found your site looking for information on "are digestive biscuits the same as graham crackers" and really enjoyed your posts...I will be visiting often.<BR/>CheersSo So Simplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04559718013383385233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-42138174126841752542007-07-25T00:00:00.000+01:002007-07-25T00:00:00.000+01:00Actually, towards and similar are common in many d...Actually, <I>towards</I> and similar are common in many dialects of AmE as well as in BrE. But that's another matter!lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-37556779495347347622007-07-24T22:44:00.000+01:002007-07-24T22:44:00.000+01:00In AmE it's "in regard to," not "in regards to." (...In AmE it's "in regard to," not "in regards to." (Paul Brian, in his Common Errors in [American]English Usage, OKs "with regard to" and "in regard to," but says "in regards to" is substandard: http://wsu.edu/~brians/errors/regard.html) AmE chops off the "s" from many words: backward, toward, forward. Their "plural" form is to me a dead giveaway that the user is British or Canadian.<BR/><BR/>However, we do give our regards to Broadway!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-62840627098166771132007-07-24T15:19:00.000+01:002007-07-24T15:19:00.000+01:00I always say from because it seems part of a set: ...I always say from because it seems part of a set: similar to / different from.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-47714967454744485122007-07-24T02:43:00.000+01:002007-07-24T02:43:00.000+01:00As an American copy editor, I "correct" the phrase...As an American copy editor, I "correct" the phrase often to read "different from," which reveals two things. 1) Whoever wrote our house style guide firmly believed in "different from." 2) A lot of authors (and this is nonfiction here, if it matters) use "different than" without a second thought...otherwise, I wouldn't have to correct it so often.<BR/><BR/>Bill Bryson has his answer to the question in <I>Troublesome Words,</I> but I don't have my copy handy. Anyone else got it?Andy Hollandbeckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11005908016945472261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-88488150546838203342007-07-24T00:43:00.000+01:002007-07-24T00:43:00.000+01:00I seem to be very much in the minority, but when f...I seem to be very much in the minority, but when filling in the example on the post (British English is different ____ American English in many ways.)I had a very strong instinct towards putting "to" in the blank... I have absolutely no argument in support of its correctness though. <BR/><BR/>"from" also sounds acceptable to me, but "than" sounds strange. I don't remember ever being corrected one way or the other on this issue.... and have never noticed or thought about it before... which makes it an excellent topic for a blog post in my book.TasmanSeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14404616587944704061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-74315344216008089412007-07-23T18:22:00.000+01:002007-07-23T18:22:00.000+01:00In "Into the Woods" by Stephen Sondheim, at one po...In "Into the Woods" by Stephen Sondheim, at one point Little Red Riding Hood sings "Nice is different than good." Which always struck me as horribly, horribly wrong.Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03658570531652539325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-73597856150756835972007-07-23T18:14:00.000+01:002007-07-23T18:14:00.000+01:00As an American English speaker, I think I use "dif...As an American English speaker, I think I use "different from" and "different than" in different contexts. To me the "from" version sounds like a very direct comparison. I tend to use it when both phrases being compared are short, and are of equal importance in what I'm trying to say. So I would say, "British English is different from American English." But I tend to use "than" when I use one concept as a jumping off point to make a lengthy statement about another concept. So, for example, "You're talking about tenure-track faculty. That's different than being a part-time lecturer who doesn't know if their contract is going to be renewed and who doesn't have any say in the running of the department." Notice the "than" buried in there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-32629788625114797182007-07-23T12:23:00.000+01:002007-07-23T12:23:00.000+01:00James, in the previous article which I so naughtil...James, in the previous article which I so <I>naughtily</I> ;-) hijacked, asked:<BR/><BR/>> <I>Howard: Do you say "other than" in BrE? There is no comparison there.</I><BR/><BR/>I'd answer that yes, I do say this, mainly because "other to" and "other from" are not really available. Also I'd say "rather than" for the same reason.<BR/><BR/>I speculate that to BrE ears "other" is a word of comparison, despite what James says, though exactly why, I can't put my finger on at the moment (it is, after all, Monday morning as I write this!) Perhaps it is because "other" ends in "-er", or more likely that to say that something is "other than" something else, you must have compared them.<BR/><BR/>"Different" is, well, different, and does not feel like a comparative; this is why you can, if you want, make it into a comparative adjective by putting "more" on to the front of it and then following it with "than", as in "cabbages and kings are more different than oranges and lemons". You don't however tend to say "more other" (well, perhaps you might, if you were translating a 4th Century theologian debating the more abstruse qualities of the Divine Logos as against the other parts of the Triune Godhead, but I - ahem - digress!)<BR/><BR/>There is more discussion of "different than" at <A HREF="http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxdiffer.html" REL="nofollow">alt.usage.english FAQ</A>, which also gives some useful statistics from the Collins Cobuild Bank of English.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-2781999528681649292007-07-23T08:44:00.000+01:002007-07-23T08:44:00.000+01:00Dearieme, I'll take your word for it.I'm reading t...Dearieme, I'll take your word for it.<BR/><BR/><I>I'm</I> reading this blog in a feeble attempt to rid myself of too many bad habits developed by growing up on more US sitcoms, than UK detective shows.<BR/><BR/>And because it's entertaining and generally educational.<BR/><BR/>I obviously don't know the nationality of the person who saw fit to hack that poll. If you ask nicely, DMM might be able to dig up the IP, but I doubt it after so long has passed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-60507700310861168532007-07-23T05:03:00.000+01:002007-07-23T05:03:00.000+01:00Yes, very trying (sorry, couldn't resist)Yes, very trying (sorry, couldn't resist)RWMGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04271851970303022440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-81378020493494751552007-07-22T22:58:00.000+01:002007-07-22T22:58:00.000+01:00"I can tell you from reading a hundred essays last..."I can tell you from reading a hundred essays last month that ...".<BR/><BR/>But but but, that's cos the young speak Californian. Not very well, I'll grant you, but they are trying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com