2006-07-14 02:23:16 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Just to refute what one of you has said, "different than" IS grammatically incorrect. The English word "than" can only be used when you are comparing, not when you are pointing out differences.
2006-07-14 02:33:52 · update #1
...and sorry Ed, but "than" is not a preposition...
2006-07-14 04:18:08 · update #2
It is nice to see someone recognizes the distinction and is willing to say something. "Than" is comparison, "different" is, well, difference. You can't have a "different than" construction. I teach that to my students as often as possible but it is tough going. When they start saying "more from" then I know we're in trouble.
2006-07-14 02:32:18 · answer #1 · answered by rosends 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
In the past, British people tended to say 'different to', as they say 'similar to'. It was pointed out to them by what Steven Pinker calls the 'grammar mavens' that 'different from' would be better because in Latin, they used 'from'. As the grammar mavens tend to forget, however, English is _not_ Latin. It's a beautiful language of its own with its own rules.
Most style guides now say that each of 'to', 'from' and 'than' are acceptable (no English preposition has an intrinsic meaning, so you can't fully 'define' any preposition - we also use 'than' with 'rather', which is not comparative).
If you want, you can complain about other people's variant uses. But remember that you are calling 'from' correct, you are merely parroting someone's attempt, a few hundred years ago, to force the grammar of an alien language onto our own language.
2006-07-14 03:47:55 · answer #2 · answered by XYZ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the correct form is "different from" the snag is that American English somehow tries to differ from the original form of English
which is British English
2006-07-14 02:34:27 · answer #3 · answered by JUAN G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are not incorrect. We just speak different variations of English. ;-)
2006-07-14 02:29:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you sure these people are American Sorry those people Its 11.30 pm on friday night and i'm really tired i'm just having too much fun
2006-07-14 02:28:00 · answer #5 · answered by traceylolanna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neither statement is gramatically incorrect, so what's the big deal?
2006-07-14 02:26:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gee... thats a great one as Canadians also say "erbs" as oppose to "herbs" i wager its thesame difficulty as saying "inheritor" as "eir" did you also word that folk say " an inheritor" as hostile to "a inheritor" LOL! :)
2016-10-14 11:10:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both are correct for their dialects respectively.
2006-07-14 02:39:16 · answer #8 · answered by J9 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cause we don'ts speaks so good.
2006-07-14 02:27:10 · answer #9 · answered by The Man 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pedantic.
2006-07-14 02:27:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋