With all of the one word versus another that are posted here, I was wondering how people use those two, further and farther.. Although some people may feel a need to explain why they should, or must, be used in a certain way, I just want to know how people do use them.
Further and Farther
- Thread starter Snick
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Fowler's suggests that farther be kept for distance (far) and further be kept for progressions (forth.)
I didn't vote, as the subject's been well discussed several times. Except for the usual dissenters, Xelebes covered it here in North America--that is if it was a question. If it was to start fireworks, then I guess it's the season.
Xelebes expressed exactly my conception of the use of these two words. But you'll see them used a fair amount as though they were precise synonyms.
caw
caw
I can reach six dictionaries from where I sit, but I don't feel the need. If something can be measurably far, then grows even more distant, then farther it is. Otherwise, further, for degrees of intensity.
Maryn, fully at ease with this one
Maryn, fully at ease with this one
I'm actually having this problem now. I've always heard it as something is at its "furthest" point when you can't go any "farther" away from it, meaning distance. (The furthest reaches of...)
Apparently, this goes into my file of things I learned that aren't actually American English, like grey with an "e", switching out the "z" in realize with an "s", putting the "o" in moustache, two "l"s in traveller, and using a "t" where there's supposed to be "ed", as in equipt vs. equipped.
- Cyia, who can't figure out how she learned British standard English in Texas schools.
Apparently, this goes into my file of things I learned that aren't actually American English, like grey with an "e", switching out the "z" in realize with an "s", putting the "o" in moustache, two "l"s in traveller, and using a "t" where there's supposed to be "ed", as in equipt vs. equipped.
- Cyia, who can't figure out how she learned British standard English in Texas schools.
I knows what the dictionaries say, but I use farther for physical, but both further and fatrher for t' other one. But that's British English for you... hmmmm
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here in western kansas we just say ferthur--it covers both uses. most of us spell it that way, too. those of us who spell it correctly don't worry much about being called out on the usage--s6
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I don't know how one picked up the others, but the two "l" in "traveller" is standard American English. WIthout the second "l" it would have a long "e" before the "l".
Yep. And the title just looks weird.
From wiki:
*backs out of thread before she derails it any worse*
She should have written The Time-Traveller's Wife, or maybe she did, and some editor changed it.
It also looks wrong to me. I was taught that on words that end in a consonant preceded by a short vowel, when adding a suffix that starts with a vowel one doubles the final consonant; examples include: cancelled, counsellor, cruellest, modelling, quarrelled, signalling, traveller, and travelling. I'm not all that old, but my early teachers had learned the rules in teachers' colleges that taught phonetics, and orthography fits the pronunciation. I believe that they are teaching memorization of spelling these days.
I just looked, and it appears that that rule is still being taught.
http://www.dyslexia.org/spelling_rules.shtml
>2. If a verb ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant (VC), and the vowel has a strong stress, the final consonant is doubled before adding -ed or -ing.<
http://www.englishcorner.vacau.com/grammar/rules/verbspell.html
(Someone dropped the "p" in "spelling" at the top of that page. Humor, I hope.)
>When a two-syllable word ends with a vowel and a consonant, double the final consonant when adding a vowel suffix, if the accent is on the last syllable. (admit, admitted, admitting)<
http://www.riggsinst.org/28rules.aspx
And I thought that rule had been forgotten, but it is just ignored.
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The cat crept into the crypt, crapped, cropped the creped crib, and crept out again.
Which dialects and how do they relate? I tried to match further versus farther to regions, level of education, etc., but I have never seen any correlation. If there is one, then please educate me.
See: Hans Kurath: Linguistic Atlas of the United States.
Not sure where to go for UK dialects; though there's an interesting and lengthy note about it in the OED.
Further is a northern form, even in Middle English; technically the two words are synonymous and have always been synonymous though there's a spurious 19th century usage principle that wants farther used for physical distance and further for philosophical, metaphorical movement/travel.
You might want to peek at the AHD Usage note; it's interesting.
The words are not interchangeable. You would never say, "Let's discuss this farther." As Scarlettpeaches says, Farther for distance, further for degree.
Otherwise, you're going to look pretty silly a fair amount of the time.
Otherwise, you're going to look pretty silly a fair amount of the time.
I read usage notes in the past, and the AHD was among those. I can't remember what the OED says, but that was one thing that led me to think about those words and use then as I wished. If "further" is from the North of England, then it would tend (but only tend) to be Southern usage in the U.S.. I haven't looked at the Linguistic Atlas of the United States, but it shouldn't say much, because the usage in the U.S. is thoroughly mixed on those words, but I am not familiar with that book, so I will look for it.
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