The Language Perfectionist: Same Difference?

by Don Hauptman (05/24/2008)

A frequent language question concerns the use of different from and different than. When do you use one or the other, and why?

The answer is easy - except when it’s hard! But let’s give it a try…

The phrase different from is correct when a noun or pronoun follows: "Girls are different from boys."

Here’s the explanation. A comparative adjective, such as bigger or better, takes than. But contrary to what some people assume, different is not a comparative adjective; it draws a distinction. So from is the right word.

But suppose a clause rather than a noun or pronoun follows. Here, different than is usually the superior choice: "The situation now is different than a year ago."

The common-sense reason is that when different from precedes a clause, it requires additional verbiage, and the result is often cumbersome or awkward. To be correct using from, the above example would have to be reworded as: "The situation now is different from what it was a year ago."

As with many disputed language issues, some permissive authorities insist that both different from and different than are "standard" and it doesn’t matter which is used. But I suggest taking the more cautious route and observing the above guidelines. What’s more, if you develop a good "ear" for language, that skill will often help you determine whether a construction is right or wrong. If it sounds bad, it probably is - and it should be rewritten.

[Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was a direct-response copywriter. He is author of the wordplay books Cruel and Unusual Puns and Acronymania, and is now writing a new book that also blends language and humor.]

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