www.CarmentaLatin.com English grammar tips Thіѕ video gives insight іntο a confusing aspect οf English grammar: Whу іѕ іt proper tο υѕе “different frοm” аnd nοt “different thаn”, аnd hοw ѕhουld “different frοm” bе used? Thіѕ іѕ јυѕt one іn a series οf video blogs οn tricky aspects οf English grammar аnd common mistakes people mаkе іn English grammar.Please dο nοt hesitate tο comment οr subscribe, аnd please pass thіѕ page along tο anyone уου thіnk mіght bе interested. Mу name іѕ Andrew. I teach Latin online through thе Carmenta Online Latin Classroom tο students around thе world. Thе Latin classes I teach аrе completely live, wіth live audio аnd video. All students іn thе class аrе аblе tο speak live wіth mе аnd wіth each οthеr whіlе thе class іѕ іn session through Skype conference calling, аnd аll students see a live video feed οf mе, thе teacher, аѕ I аm teaching thе class. Thе Carmenta course meets three times per week аnd іѕ a serious course, fοr serious students whο аrе interested іn learning thе Latin language. It іѕ equivalent tο a gοοd high-school- οr college-level course taken іn a traditional setting, bυt іt brings wіth іt thе flexibility аnd convenience οf thе internet. *Please visit mу web site. It contains information οn thе course, mу blog οn Latin аnd English topics, аnd a number οf οthеr extras thаt уου hopefully wіll find іntеrеѕtіng. www.CarmentaLatin.com Email Instructor@CarmentaLatin.com
@AndrewESL You are absolutely right. The most common corruptions are around for a long time before they take over completely. Frequently particular lower-class / upper-class differences are around for hundreds of years. I don’t think there is such a thing as validity in grammar. There is merely language accepted by one group and language accepted by another group. Anything beyond what makes language intelligible to others who also speak that language is there to identify classes and groups.
One thing I would point out. Let’s compare these two sentences:
“It’s different from what I expected. ”
- and -
“It’s different than I expected. ”
Both are in ‘common’ use, which I think proves their validity, however the latter is more economical.
Quoting Steven Pinker, “. . . some of the so-called corruptions of English, some of the things that the experts, the grammar school teachers, think of as recent signs of decline or decay, have actually been in the language for hundreds of years. “
@AndrewESL Well, I’m not making an argument for one way of speaking over another, merely addressing the reality of language and the direct way that it relates to class. And again, there is no right way, since there is no true logic to grammar. Grammar is essentially illogical, a fact which seems lost on a lot of grammar pedants.
@CarmentaOnlineLatin I find any discussion that leads to “better grammar” to be rewarding
OK, well, I’ve been sitting with it a while, and I’m not sure that I like an argument based on grammatical usage of a privileged class. If it doesn’t come instinctively, how ‘grammatical’ can it be? But, I think we’ve addressed that already.
However, we would not say, “Something differs ‘than’ something else. ” Of course, we would use ‘from’ in that case, which I think almost proves your point.
@AndrewESL Thanks so much for your comments. I always enjoy discussion of this topic.
@AndrewESL Well, I am defining grammar as a set of rules, nothing more. It is a mistake to believe that there is necessarily logic to grammar, or that somehow “good grammar” is superior to “bad grammar”. They are just different, and there is a purpose behind it. The choice about how to speak is up to every individual, obviously–I am merely trying to make clear what “good grammar” and “bad grammar” is, so that people are able to make an educated decision how they speak.
@CarmentaOnlineLatin while I definitely agree with you that, “The finer rules of grammar are one of the ways that those belonging the the upper classes have distinguished themselves from the common man,” I am not sure that I agree that those rules are ‘in fact’ grammatical.
Further, I cannot decide if you’ve changed my opinion of using “than” in place of “from” or not. I can say however, that I do appreciate your replies to my comments and that your videos are interesting and informative.
@AndrewESL . . . but that doesn’t make it correct, it just makes it common, which is perhaps the point. The finer rules of grammar are one of the ways that those belonging the the upper classes have distinguished themselves from the common man. And so, my only goal is to make people aware of what these finer distinctions are. It is up to them what they choose to do with them.
@AndrewESL . . . . All I can really say about this is that the correct use of “different from” will help you to be acceptable in the highest classes and most literate parts of society. This is why I have made this video, and why I have made all of these videos. They deal with the most common “mistakes” people make, “mistakes” that are so common that they are made by the vast majority of native English speakers. Nine out of ten times people will use “different than” rather than “different from”. .
@AndrewESL You make a good point. It is a little silly to talk about “correct” and “incorrect” grammar. The first is in keeping with the rules laid down by the literates of society and the second frequently follows the typical speech of illiterates. At a certain point the “mistakes” of the illiterates, though, become predominant and then are made acceptable by the literate because there is now almost nobody who speaks in the old “correct” way. This is how language changes and evolves.
I like your videos. Just want to ask here why you say it’s incorrect to use “different than,” when a google search will show countless results of presumably native speakers using “than” rather than “from”.
Though I think I can understand where you are coming from, I believe that common usage dictates acceptable grammar and not the other way around.