# 'Then' and 'Than'. Two different words. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 8, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331 "2004-06-08T20:52:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/21 "2004-06-09T14:03:02Z")
**Liberal** : > [@](#): > > The one that gets me is “aren’t I?”. I usually respond, “Yes, and I are, too!” Yeah, because the grammatically correct phrase is “ain’t I”. Everyone ought to know that! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/22 "2004-06-09T14:32:19Z")
“Doug and John’s Liquor’s and Bar” - Rotating sign I have to see every day on my way to the office. I hope it blows over in the next storm. Than what will they do? If there sign falls down, their screwed. I can’t over exagerate, I have millions of these example’s. Your listening, right? ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/23 "2004-06-09T14:47:49Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Your listening, right? Of course my listening. I’ve got nothing to loose. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/24 "2004-06-09T15:28:56Z")
_Phase_ and _faze_. I’ve posted this one before. I’ve seen many erudite posters here use _phase_ where _faze_ is what they mean. I had an English teacher friend nearly get mad at me once for pointing out the error; she didn’t quite believe _faze_ was actually a word. “It didn’t phase him” to me parses as “it failed to shoot him with one of those guns from Star Trek.” It’s the wrong word, dammit! Fortunately this isn’t nearly as common as _then_ vs. _than_ or _there_ vs. _their._ ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/25 "2004-06-09T16:22:46Z")
Here are a few that I’ve seen used incorrectly … _affect - effect cite - site_ (our favorite) _alternate - alternative elicit - illicit ensure - insure who’s - whose_ … and a couple that I screw up occasionally … _flaunt - flout stationary - stationery_ ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/26 "2004-06-09T16:36:13Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > The one that gets me is “aren’t I?”. I usually respond, “Yes, and I are, too!” Huh. Never thought of that one as being bad. What would you prefer that people say? “Isn’t I?” “Amn’t I?” Or do they have to say “Am I not?” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/27 "2004-06-09T19:13:31Z")
Is this the thread ware someone can esplain “Lie” & “Lay” too me? My HS teachers always avoided that lessen. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/28 "2004-06-09T19:38:59Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > Here are a few that I’ve seen used incorrectly … > > _ensure - insure_ It is _not_ wrong to use “insure” to mean “ensure.” They’re interchangeable, unless there is an insurance company involved. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/29 "2004-06-09T19:45:03Z")
I won’t quibble **chula**. Probably one of the dictionary definitions would support you.\* I was taught that _ensure_ meant “to make certain”, and _insure_ meant “to protect against loss”. \*[sub]And sure enough, the second definition of “insure” in my Funk and Wagnalls desktop dictionary is “to ensure”.[/sub] :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/30 "2004-06-09T20:40:44Z")
If I may piggyback a growing peeve of the petting variety onto this fine thread… The letter Q is to be followed by the letter U. Always. At all times. When in English. Alas, not all names and words are in English. Arabic, for instance, is a language. Quick social studies lesson, people: We are at war in Iraq. We are there to free the Iraqis from the horrible oppression of Al Qaida. Not Al Quaida. Not Iraqu, Iraque, Irak, Irack, or the tortured Irackwue. Let’s not even touch on the inhabitants, the Iraquwee’s. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/31 "2004-06-09T20:42:49Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Is this the thread ware someone can esplain “Lie” & “Lay” too me? My HS teachers always avoided that lessen. Sure. In order to lay a girl, you have to lie to her. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/32 "2004-06-09T21:04:30Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Nah. Spelt = Spelled: ie the inflected form of Spell. More cromulent in the UK than the US apparently… This whole thread embiggens my heart. ---
**Author:** ![biqu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/33 "2004-06-09T21:32:47Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Is this the thread ware someone can esplain “Lie” & “Lay” too me? My HS teachers always avoided that lessen. “lie” = “recline” or “intentionally speak falsehood” (intransitive verb) Examples: The dog lies in its bed. Politicians lie about their intentions when running for office. “lay” = “place” or “situate” (transitive verb) Example: Lay your beach mat on the ground to provide a place to sit. One reason for the confusion between the two words is that the past tense of “lie” is “lay” when the meaning is “rest” or “recline”, but the past tense of “lie” is “lied” when the meaning is “intentionally speak falsehood”. Because the same verb conjugates differently under different circumstances, the irregular form is sometimes incorrectly parsed as the transitive verb “lay”, and likewise the transitive verb “lay” is used inappropriately when the present tense “lie” is meant instead. ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/34 "2004-06-09T21:56:28Z")
Affect and effect. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/35 "2004-06-09T21:59:28Z")
It’s embarassing how many “Oh!” moments I had reading through [this site](http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/). Although I suppose it should be more embarassing to the Hawaii educational system. I swear I learned more about how English works when I was learning Latin in college than from the K-12 when I was learning English. I promise to do better. Although my fingers also have a mind of their own. Almost like my mind is talking to them and they type what they hear. I’ll think down to them “They’re” and they’ll type “there.” They also seem to really like certain patterns and if given a few letters will head pell-mell down that path leading to an overused backspace on my keyboard. What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/36 "2004-06-09T22:07:42Z")
> [@Fern Forest](#): > > It’s embarassing how many “Oh!” moments I had reading through [this site](http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/). Although I suppose it should be more embarassing to the Hawaii educational system. I swear I learned more about how English works when I was learning Latin in college than from the K-12 when I was learning English. From 7th grade through 12th grade, I was given both a lit book and a grammar book. On the first day of each English class every teacher said, “Just leave your grammar book in your locker. We will never use it.” And we never did. This seems to hold true for most people my age… ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/37 "2004-06-09T22:10:17Z")
> [@N. Sane](#): > > I no there is nothing more irritating then seeing a sine that says: > > Resume’s Printed Here Am I being whooshed here, or are you perchance mistaking an accent mark for an apostrophe? It should be spelt with two accents, strictly speaking, thus: résumé. It bugs the hell out of me to see people writing about “submitting a resume”. “Resume” is pronounced “ree-ZYOOM” and means “to start something again”. “Résumé” is pronounced “REH-zoo-may” and is what we Brits would describe as a CV (curriculum vitæ). ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/38 "2004-06-09T23:12:47Z")
> [@N. Sane](#): > > I no there is nothing more irritating then seeing a sine that says: > > Resume’s Printed Here Murphy’s law of pointing out grammatical errors rears it’s ugly head…I think you meant **sign**. Unless perhaps it was waving in a particular manner? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/39 "2004-06-09T23:30:42Z")
> [@](#): > > It bugs the hell out of me to see people writing about “submitting a resume”. “Resume” is pronounced “ree-ZYOOM” and means “to start something again”. “Résumé” is pronounced “REH-zoo-may” and is what we Brits would describe as a CV (curriculum vitæ). I suppose you’re one of those people who think “naive” should be spelled “naïve”. Don’t get me wrong- I like diacretics. They have their uses, like indicating stress in Spanish, or differentiating letters in a phonetically-spelled English scheme. But in normal, everyday English writing, diacretics aren’t neccessary. “I sent my resume to Globotech Inc.” isn’t going to confuse anyone. If “box” can mean both a container to hold stuff and to punch someone, I think we can get by with two meanings for “resume”. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331/40 "2004-06-09T23:38:14Z")
Yes, but “box” and “box” are pronounced the same. To my eye, your sentence just trips me up because I mentally pronounce it wrongly “I sent my resume… huh? Oh, **résumé** …” But then that may be because, being English, I don’t usually come across the word résumé. We say “CV” instead. I guess if I was more familiar with the usage then it would no longer trip me up. So that’s my argument dead in the water :rolleyes: (I write “naive”, not “naïve”, by the way, seeing as there is no other word that can be confused with it 😉 ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/then-and-than-two-different-words/249331.md?page=3)