It's different FROM ....

[Mincepiedermama]

It's not different TO.

This is coming up so frequently it's ruining my enjoyment of certain threads.

What about "bored of" - it's "bored with". While I'm at it, why can't people on the radio say sixth. The x should be sounded ks but these good BBC folk come out with sikth. Lazy lazy boys and girls!

OP I love you...,. I say it out loud and correct people every time they get it wrong. It has become a standing joke in our house.

Nor is it *he was sat next to me during the dinner". No he was not... he was sitting.

I also find it grates when BBC reporters say 'Pleece' when they mean 'police'.

I've been programmed by my mum to find these things irritating. It's a legacy I will be passing on to my children. I just can't help myself.

It's also not "different than", which seems to be becoming more common.....grrrrr

And "battree".

No it is not a tree for bats... It is a BattEry, thank you very much.

It's only 'different from' as long as most people say it, otherwise it's 'different to'. Just as it was only 'thy' until it was 'your' and then it wasn't.

(I'm just trying to wind you up, I'm as pedantic as they come. I shout 'FEWER than' at the TV)

Can someone explain the less than fewer than thing. I am pedantic but also ignorant.

Also it's 'think of', not 'think to', surely?

Oh stop it Midnightexpress. You sound like my dh with his lame excuses about language evolving.

Openbook, the less and fewer thing is simple.
You have less of a single thing so less soup in the bowl but you'd have fewer rolls on the plate because you're talking about more than one roll.

Mincepiedermama - loving your clever Xmas name .

fewer = for countable things (ie if you can say '2 Xs' use fewer, so fewer rolls, 6 items or fewer )
less = for uncountable things (so less milk, less time, less stress)

Wow - I feel so pleased that I know that - thanks.

I have an uncontrollable aversion to 'six times less' in place of 'a sixth'.