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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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it goes without saying that the Google number are heavily U.S. biased.
oops..
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
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veteran
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Posts: 1,529 |
Then it follows that the USuns are highly literate. I personally can count the number of times that I have heard someone say "different to..." on a ping-pong ball. The term "to" directs, but does set up a comparison. This is what we in Alabama call "lazy thinking". And misunderstandings are at the very root of most misunderstandings. 
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> The term "to" directs
compared to what? Maybe in Merkin, but definitely not true in English P~
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I've never heard 'different to' spoken in real life; I shudder when I read or hear 'different than.' Shiver!!!!
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
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veteran
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For shame, Maverick, you make themilum wrinkle his smoothe brain. Oh well... Look. If an Englishman or Englishmaid uses "different to" in a conversation, they, by logical necessity, omit "when compared". Sure, this omission is perfectly acceptable if that is a convention of your own particular offshoot of the English language, but remember, if you choose to use quaint phrasing when you speak, then you must be aware that your proviencialism might be thought odd by the vanguards of our language today. That is, we who contribute to the vast files of Google. And notice, if you will, the connectors "than" and "from" are lingually self-sufficient as directors, and require no such secret omissions or implied additions. How nice, how American. 
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 273
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 273 |
The usage causing all the brouhaha is no different to that routinely used by most Aotearoans.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
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veteran
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Hey Vernon, who are the Aotearoans? And why do they speak funny? 
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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the number of times that I have heard someone say "different to..." on a ping-pong ball.
I certainly have never heard anyone say "different to..." on a ping-pong ball.
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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"Young Faldage, placing his hand on a ping-pong ball, said, 'My serve might seem different to most players, but its effect is apparent to all who play against me.' "
There, Faldage. You have now officially heard someone say 'different to' on a ping-pong ball.
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Joined: Sep 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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> we who contribute to the vast files of Google
It's a numbers game, Milo, true, but then the barbarians always are more numerous :)
and by that token American will soon be supplanted by Spanish in its own heartland, and Chinese in the rest of the world... but it's no good all-y'all snivelling, you can't come back in, we took plenty of care to export all our religious nutters back in the 1600s :)
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