"Different from", "different than", and now "different to", too.

[Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus]

I’ve been noticing recently the usage “different to”, mostly in material coming out of the UK. It’s long been my impression that “different than” has always been somewhat more common there in everyday discourse than it is in North America, but the “different to” construction is new to me. Has it always been commonly used and I just haven’t noticed it, or is it a new development? And if it is new, where did it originate?

[hibernicus]

OED suggests that it is by influence from “unlike to”, “dissimilar to”.

The usual construction is now with “from”; that with “to” (after “unlike, dissimilar to”) is found in writers of all ages, and is frequent colloquially, but is by many considered incorrect. The construction with “than” (after “other than”) is found in Fuller, Addison, Steele […]

There is an example from 1526 “His lyght is moche different and unlyke to the lyght of the holy goost”; and from 1588 “If they could write any other language that were different vnto theirs”.

[DemonTree]

When I was at school in the UK in the 90s we were told that ‘different to’ was incorrect, and that we should use ‘similar to, different from’. As far as I recall no one had to be told not to write ‘different than’, and until now I assumed this usage was only common in America.

Perhaps you are seeing ‘different to’ more frequently because the rule I learned is no longer being taught?

[elfkin477]

OP, if you’re guilty of not noticing it before, I am too. I don’t recall ever seeing that construction until just the past couple of years, and I’ve read a fair amount by British authors.

[BigT]

@hibernicus

OED suggests that it is by influence from “unlike to”, “dissimilar to”.

There is an example from 1526 “His lyght is moche different and unlyke to the lyght of the holy goost”; and from 1588 “If they could write any other language that were different vnto theirs”.

I’ve never heard of “unlike to” It’s just “unlike.”

I’ve heard “different to” in certain contexts. Generally ones similar to “Different to what is expected.” It fits with the passive tone.

[CairoCarol]

I spent about 7 years working with a primarily Australian set of coworkers, and got very used to hearing “different to.” It actually sounds almost normal to me at this point.

[FairyChatMom]

My coworker - a life-long local boy - says different to. Makes me crazy, but I’ll be re-retiring in a few months, so I do my best not to fling my stapler at his head.

[Doug_K]

It’s not as grating as “difference in”.

[Hari_Seldon]

I’ve always said different from and have the distinct impression that different to is British.

[Siam_Sam]

The last thread on this subject, from a couple months ago.

Including my post:

@Siam_Sam

I believe “different to” is mainly a British usage and used to see it in Thailand a lot. (Lots of Brits, Aussies etc there.)

Here is what the American Heritage Dictionary says about it:

“Usage Note: The phrases different from and different than are both common in British and American English. The British also use the construction different to. Since the 18th century, language critics have singled out different than as incorrect when used before nouns and noun phrases, though it is well attested in the works of reputable writers. Traditionally, from is used when the comparison is between two persons or things: *My book is different from * [not than] yours. Note that noun phrases, including ones that have clauses in them, also fall into this category: The campus is different from the way it was the last time you were here. The Usage Panel is divided on the acceptability of different than with nouns and noun phrases, with a majority finding several of these constructions unacceptable. In our 2004 survey, 57 percent rejected the use of different than with a gerund in the sentence Caring for children with disabilities in a regular child-care setting is not new and, in many cases, is not particularly different than caring for other children. Roughly the same percentage (55) disapproved of the construction with a noun phrase containing a clause in The new kid felt that the coach’s treatment of him was different than that of the other players who were on the team last year. Some 60 percent rejected the sentence New York seemed very different than Rome, where they’d been on good terms. There should be no complaint, however, when the object of comparison is expressed by a full clause: The campus is different than it was twenty years ago.”

[hibernicus]

@BigT

I’ve never heard of “unlike to” It’s just “unlike.”

Yes, of course, nowadays. But formerly both “like” and “unlike” were used with prepositions such as to, unto, till, with, as. There are examples of “unlike to” as recent as the 19th century; e.g. Gladstone in 1879 wrote “He was very unlike to any other man”.