GRAMMAR

[recordman]

Latin buffs.Which is correct 'different to' or 'different from'?

[bookbinder]

I quote from "The Complete Plain Words", Sir Ernest Gowers, Penguin, 1973.
"'Different than' and 'preferable than' are not uncommon in America but are not correct in British English, which requires 'different from' and 'preferable to'."

[Quizmonster]

As regards The Times' style-guide, one has to remember that it exists to let people WRITING FOR the Times know what the editors of that publication expect. Whilst it may be helpful in many ways, it is NOT a proscriptive edict for anyone else.

If I was writing a script for Rio Ferdinand and his team-mates, I would certainly feel perfectly free to have them say, "Innit?" or "different to" or anything else they might be prone to saying.

What is "correct" is what fits the context. This is not France; we have no Academy to tell us what to write and, even if we had, I'm sure we'd do with their 'orders' exactly what the French do with theirs!

[McMouse]

Surely what matters is being understood rather than sticking to precice rules of grammar innit.

[tearinghair]

Depends on the context McMouse. Prospective employers probably understand textspeak but wouldn't expect to read it on an application form.

[pbj_33-2cats]

Different FROM. An elephant differs from a tiger, nothing differs TO anything.

[Quizmonster]

Yes, Pbj, but the question was about differENT not differS and in fact there are many millions of British people who do use different TO, so as far as they are concerned it is 'correct' in their daily word-usage. Similarly, as far as Americans are concerned, different from is the standard 'correct' usage. As I said earlier, we in the UK have no Academy - or anyone else - with some supposed right to TELL us what to say/write.

[Quizmonster]

Of course, I meant to write 'different THAN' as the correct American usage.

[razza]

Who cares ??

[Quizmonster]

The questioner perhaps, Razza? The fact that YOU don't is hardly relevant, is it?