So, why does this happen to so many of us? Why do we actually have to think before we say the word further, to make sure we’re using it correctly? This question has led to further research into the matter on my part.
As it turns out, I wasn’t completely wrong – and I was even in good company. According to an article in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, authors as accomplished as Mark Twain or C.S. Lewis have used the words interchangeably throughout history. In fact, if you look up the word “farther” on thesaurus.com, the first synonym you will find there is “further”!
So, does that mean they are the same? Well, no, they’re not. Let’s have a look at how further and farther are normally used. We’ll start with the easier one:
2 Comments
Aloysius Ngombe Mbako
I like your methodical way of dealing with the subject. I have enjoyed this bit so far and will return quite often. I want to write a novel and believe that learning to proofread, copy editing, and content editing will help me to write much more easily. What’s your opinion?
The Editorat
Hi! I’m so glad you liked it. 🙂 To answer your question: While I am sure my writing has profited in some way by my skills in proofreading and copy editing, I don’t think it is really necessary for writing. What is most important in writing a novel is that you have a good story and that you tell it in a way that will keep your readers interested. There are, of course, a few things to keep in mind, so I would suggest reading a book about writing. Un-fortunately, I’ve only read German ones, so I don’t have a suggestion for you. I will, howev-er, be talking about novel writing in my blog. The first English language post is scheduled for next Friday. Maybe that will be helpful.