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What is Wrong With 'Different Than'?

All too often, the question of from versus than is answered in the wrong persuasion.

To from or to than, that is the question. And here is the example:

When you need a second set of parentheses within one set of parentheses, use brackets instead for one of those sets (different than math).
Take your time with this question: What is wrong with the above sentence?

Nothing wrong, you say? (Sound of teeth gnashing . . .)

Grab a seat (preferably your own) because this may come as a shock. The distressingly oft-heard construction "different than" is, not to mince words, oh-so wrong.

From and than are both prepositions, you might say. They are indeed. But these are two prepositions with one big difference.

In fact (but this is not the reason for the wrongness noted above), than is not always used as a preposition. It can also be used as adjective, adverb, or conjunction.

In any of these cases it can indicate a sense of comparison. Whenever a comparison is made, "than" is used, as in "I am older than he". Comparison implies a condition of being x or y:

better or worse
richer or poorer
fatter or thinner

You get the picture. Comparison. Value judgments if you prefer.

When we're not comparing but rather we're stating a difference of category without value judgments (as in apples and oranges; sugar and spice; birds and bees), we use the preposition from:

When you need a second set of parentheses within one set of parentheses, use brackets instead for one of those sets (different from math).

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