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The Forum > General Discussion > From or To

From or To

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We were taught in school back in the 1930s that ‘different from’ was proper usage. Increasingly I see and hear ‘different to.’ It sounds wrong to me, but that may be merely discomfort with the unfamiliar.

‘Different to’ has the last consonant of the first word repeated as the first consonant of the second word so the two words are tied together by a repeated sound. ‘Different from’ sounds more rhythmic to me. Perhaps that is because the f and r in the interior of the first word combine at the beginning of the second word.

I feel more comfortable saying ‘different from’ than ‘different to.’ How do others feel?
Posted by david f, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 11:10:11 AM
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If you ask me both these have been replaced by little diff, then there is no diff.

The English language is evolving and while many may say for the worst, we had best get used to it cause it's here to stay.
Posted by rehctub, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 7:59:02 PM
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The great thing is, david f, you are not expected (or need) to alter saying 'different from' as you comfortably prefer.

Since the OED records 'different from' from 1590, 'different to' from 1526 and 'different than' - a later upstart - from 1644... there is not going to be general agreement anytime soon.
Posted by WmTrevor, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 8:20:15 PM
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Dear David F.,

I got this from the web:

"Different to whom? Some people are more different than
others and different by whose standards. Some things become
more different over time, and different except for certain
similarities."

Prepositions have different meanings. All we have to do
is select the right one to convey what we want to say.
Posted by Lexi, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 8:32:40 PM
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I thought "to" implied convergence and "from" implied divergence, as in "similar to" and "differing from". But if you desperately want to protect an orthodoxy you have to be prepared to kill for it. Sadly, many do.
Posted by Fester, Thursday, 20 December 2012 7:18:03 PM
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