.......at a somewhat serious post. I don't feel as good at writing as most bloggers out there, so I am not even sure how to word this -- but I will try. This isn't a big world issue or anything -- it is just something that has bothered me for the last 5 or 6 years as I have noticed it happenning more and more....
Alot of people, in blogs, emails, written chats, (as opposed to voice chats) etc, seem to be confusing the words "then" and "than" quite often! It is not a "typo" because I see it repeated over and over in some very long emails/blogs/posts that are otherwise written perfectly!
There is quite a difference in meaning between these two words so when I see them used incorrectly it lessens the impact of what otherwise would be very powerful posts/blogs/etc. **(By the way - I am not referring to anyone that I have read recently on "Blogger." I have no particular person in mind as I type this. It is just a trend that I have been seeing for at least 5 years now, and I am hoping to do what I can to change it in my own little corner of the Internet. )** :-)
"Then" refers to time (as in "now and then" or "When I get my new computer, THEN I will be able to create fancier graphics."). Whereas "than" is often used in comparative sentences - (ie: "I would rather go for a walk in the rain THAN drive in the oppressive heat.") There are other ways these two are used in sentences as well but I am just writing from the top of my head.
So, even though this is hardly an Earth-shattering, life-threatening problem, and even though I know that I probably make far more mistakes in my writings (with grammer problems, run-on sentences, spelling etc - lol), I would still like to request that people out there "RE" - learn the different meanings of the words; "then" and "than" and use them correctly. It will make the blogs/emails/posts etc that DO have more important things to say come across with far more strength! :-)
~**Thanks for your ear .... we now return you to your regularly broadcast channels.**~ (grin) :-D
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4 comments:
Will watch out for this in future!
You've totally confused me but that's okay I still adore you more "than" or is then you know?
LOL Hi Andrew -- thanks for your comment :-)
And FD, it's "Than" you know. Grin!
lol Glad you still adore me.
:-D
You know, I have never considered myself a good writer, and an even worse editor! I have been doing the newsletter at my job (20 pages every other month) for about 8 years now. It was brutal at first, I never did one. I am also dyslexic. Oy! Despite my insecurities I moved forward and learned how to do a newsletter. The one thing I have figured out over time is that a.) I can write "ok", b.) I still suck at editing my own work.
Seems that when people edit, they cannot edit their own work. Never be the publisher and editor, it just does not work! I have three different people who are all very educated who edit, and it is funny that they all miss things and catch different things.
Also, someone gave me a paragraph where the first letter and the last letter of each word was in the correct spot, and the letters in between were mixed up. It was proven that a certain percentage of the population could read it via word recognition if that first and last letter were in the right spot. I was one of those people who could read the jumbled mess fluidly. Only one other person in the office could read it. So I have it posted over my desk in defense of the "typo queen" (that's me.) :)
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