Prior vs Earlier

[Peter2005]

Hello,

(1) Refer to my prior post

(2) Refer to my earlier post

I believe (2) is the correct expression. Can you tell me the difference between the two?

Peter

[M56]

Hello,

(1) Refer to my prior post

(2) Refer to my earlier post

I believe (2) is the correct expression. Can you tell me the difference between the two?

Peter

Both are correct, but I hear the second much more than the first.

[Peter2005]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

I don't know if I am convinced.

Does it mean we can use these word interchangeably?

Peter

[Nordic Bill]

"Refer to my previous post" rolls most readily off my tongue, so all three sound great to me.

Bill

[M56]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

I don't know if I am convinced.

Does it mean we can use these word interchangeably?

Peter

One should always take into consideration the person one is adressing, the register needed, the image one wants to give, etc. I would use "earlier post" and not "prior post" because it feels like a natural collocation, but that doesn't mean we can't use "prior" adjectively to describe a certain post.

In the British National Corpus (BNC), "prior post" and "earlier post" do not appear at all. "Earlier letter" and "previous letter" appear 15 times each. "Recent letter" 45 times.