Farther or further?

[Chevron]

I was thinking about this the other day. I found out when to use which. Quite interesting. I thought I'd share.

Two words often confused are farther and further. Is it farther down the road or further? Do you have to read further in the book or farther? Do you further your education? Yes! Let's take a look at the meanings for these two words.

FARTHER denotes physical advancement in distance.

FURTHER denotes advancement to greater degree, as in time.


The correct answers to the above examples follow:

It is farther down the road. (For distance physically traveled.)

You read further in the book. (To a greater degree than where you are now.)

You further your education. (To a greater degree than what you have now.)

[Miktar]

Sounds about right. Welcome to Standard Grade English. :P

[Chevron]

Hey. I did English higher Grade and got a B.

They didn't teach us the difference between further and farther.

[Miktar]

And that is why some teachers shouldn't be teaching.

[Antharias]

Unfortunately it is something that was never taught to me either. Had to learn it the hard way.

That lovely thing called Google :D.

[brazed]

I can die happy now. My life and education complete.

Thank you.

[Frozenfireside]

I had very good english teachers through out my schooling career but I am A.D.D. so it didn't help much.
I once had the lady from SABC3-the one with the frizzy gray hair.
Nice lady.

[Nandrew]

The standard of language education in South Africa is, in general, quite appalling.

And some English teachers are simply bound by a ****ty syllabus. ^^

[Paradox]

I can die happy now. My life and education complete.

Thank you.

Wow, for a dragon thats quite a short time, you're only like what? A million years old or something. :P

I also seriously never knew this. Damn high school english teachers.

[cYn]

Urgh poor english is a bane on my existence. My manager, constantly uses "then" instead of "than". I see it all over the place. I have to fight the urge to correct him.

[Nandrew]

Urgh poor english is a bane on my existence. My manager, constantly uses "then" instead of "than". I see it all over the place. I have to fight the urge to correct him.

... or fly-kick him in the face.

[dislekcia]

I vote for correcting him. How else is he supposed to learn?

-D

[Nandrew]

I still recommend the aforementioned kick, if only for the reason that it's far more badass.

[ShellShok]

For some reason, I find this to be worthless information.

[DaBaish]

It's good, now I know the correct way to use those words. I did higher grade English matric and got a D. You can only blame me because I homeschooled and taught myself. My mom says I got A.D.D. but I just think that's a pile of sheet. I just think I'm lazy.

[cYn]

For some reason, I find this to be worthless information.

When you seem to have a poor grasp of language people will very quickly conclude that you are thick. I'm not saying it's necessarily true, but that is how it works. Ever notice how people assume deaf or mute people are also mentally deficient simply because they cannot verbally communicate eloquently?

[wisp]

@ Chevron yes i have noticed that you like to correct ppls english;) , they say English people (and by that i mean the English themselves) speak the worst english...do not know if it true just what i heard and judging by my use of the language i would tend to agree:)

[dammit]

It's not the teachers fault that people get basic things like "then" and "than" (or "Further" "father") confused...they do not have time to teach every single word in the english language.

Students who read a good deal of books will find they learn the difference between the words by seeing how they are used in the novels. Those that don't read are less likely to discover how the english language is actually meant to be used...

[Gazza_N]

Students who read a good deal of books will find they learn the difference between the words by seeing how they are used in the novels. Those that don't read are less likely to discover how the english language is actually meant to be used...

"Read"? What is this "read" you speak of? Can you eat it?

I think you've nailed the core issue here. People couldn't be bothered to read when they can just take entertainment in passively. Reading takes far too much effort.

[Oeaks]

Ah, English. The language that everyone speaks but no one understands.

But thats what most people think, why read when you could watch a movie instead? I'm one of the few people in my grade who read books for fun.

[.dB]

Ever notice how people assume deaf or mute people are also mentally deficient simply because they cannot verbally communicate eloquently?
No, I have never had the displeasure of meeting someone that ignorant. I've come close, some of my NAG encounters making it high on the list, but thank god no. My thought's go out to anyone who encounters anyone like this however.

Also, I don't want to set off any BS alarms, but anyone who still measures a broad term such as intelligence based on simply looking at someone's eloquence in a language seriously needs to start looking around for a new place - Underarock street is getting pretty cramped and ghetto these days.

[Banlam]

It's not always true, but i get a better impression from someone who speaks English well than from someone who stutters and battles to find the right word. Sure if it's not their home language fine, but I can understand a person's level of speaking a language being compared to their intelligence. Even if it is wrong

[.dB]

It's not always true, but i get a better impression from someone who speaks English well than from someone who stutters and battles to find the right word. Sure if it's not their home language fine, but I can understand a person's level of speaking a language being compared to their intelligence. Even if it is wrong

Oh, my gripe is more with elitists passing everyone who doesn't know fifteen letter synonyms to everyday items or feelings as an "idiot". Likewise for people who make it their mission to lurk around the forum and hop out, e-penis dangling in the wind, when someone makes a little grammar/spelling error here and there. Doing it for the lulz? np. Basis of making an conclusion of someone over the Interweb? Yeah, get real.

But still, in general I think it's a load of ****.

[Gazza_N]

It's not always true, but i get a better impression from someone who speaks English well than from someone who stutters and battles to find the right word.
Ever had five synonyms pop into your head at once while you're speaking and had to grind to a halt to choose one? Having an overlarge vocab can be a curse too.

I wonder if the stereotype you highlight is based so much on the ability to speak the language as it is on the ability to communicate and be understood. You can be fluent in a language, with a large vocabulary and a decent level of intelligence, and still not get a message across clearly - and people will think you're stupider for it.

[Banlam]

Oh, my gripe is more with elitists passing everyone who doesn't know fifteen letter synonyms to everyday items or feelings as an "idiot". Likewise for people who make it their mission to lurk around the forum and hop out, e-penis dangling in the wind, when someone makes a little grammar/spelling error here and there. Doing it for the lulz? np. Basis of making an conclusion of someone over the Interweb? Yeah, get real.

But still, in general I think it's a load of ****.

ok, i get what you're saying. I was thinking more in a face to face situation, than say communicating on forums, im or email etc. Gazza defintiely has a point with it mainly being about being understood.

[dammit]

Ah, English. The language that everyone speaks but no one understands.

But thats what most people think, why read when you could watch a movie instead? I'm one of the few people in my grade who read books for fun.


Please keep on reading. Not only will you expand your vocab but also your ability to think critically and learn about different lifestyles and places (that you might never get a chance to visit). And this always helps when you get to exams...reduces preparation time and helps get your message across clearly to your marker :)

[HARROW]

@ dammit

Are you by any chance a teacher?

[Q-Man]

Oh, my gripe is more with elitists passing everyone who doesn't know fifteen letter synonyms to everyday items or feelings as an "idiot". Likewise for people who make it their mission to lurk around the forum and hop out, e-penis dangling in the wind, when someone makes a little grammar/spelling error here and there. Doing it for the lulz? np. Basis of making an conclusion of someone over the Interweb? Yeah, get real.

But still, in general I think it's a load of ****.

Fail.

(see what I did there?)

[Invert]

The problem is not the teachers, it's the system/syllabus. To be a teacher in this country is very difficult and for someone to persevere through poor syllabi and even worse pay deservers some sort of gratitude.

I was fortunate to go to both a private and government school back in my day. I can honestly say that the best teachers I had were in the government schools. They did not follow the syllabus verbatim and gave me added perspective that most teachers are too lazy to offer, or don't feel their pay justifies that effort.

[dammit]

@ dammit

Are you by any chance a teacher?

ha ha, no. I'm still a student (though I've finished high school).