Tuesday, April 24, 2012

different than/different from/different to: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, April 24, 2012

different than/different from/different to
Americans say “Scuba-diving is different from snorkeling,” the British often say “different to” (though most UK style guides disapprove), and those who don’t know any better say “different than.” However, though conservatives object, you can usually get away with “different than” if a full clause follows: “Your pashmina shawl looks different than it used to since the cat slept on it.”

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Paul Brians' latest blog post explains why The New York Times should come hat in hand with an correction. [UPDATE: As frogprof points out, I need to beg forgiveness, too, for the typo on "an correction"! --Tom]

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