[Grammar] Farther vs. Further

[The apprentice]

Dear teachers and members


Although is clearly known that FARTHER is used with a physical measurable distance and FURTHER with an imaginary or figurative one (unmeasurable), I ask for your assistance and insight in clearing up my doubt.

If either a distance is measurable but unknown or an uncountable noun is being used, might FURTHER be used rather than FARTHER? Must FARTHER be used or both might be used?

1) How much further do we have to go? (how much miles [unknown but measurable]).

It's just a mile farther.

2) She moved further back (she moved two, three or four feet back [unknown but measurable]).

3) We had to drive further (uncountable noun TIME but measurable [minute, hour, day, etc.]).

4) This plan requires further time.


OTHER EXAMPLES:

a) Boston is farther than New York City (supposing I live in Miami, Florida [known]).

b) She lives farther than the office (I know where she lives and where the office is [known]).

c) He ran two miles farther than me (known).

 

[MikeNewYork]

First, you have to understand that the difference is more important in AmE than in BrE. It is my understanding that "further" is more commonly used in any cases in BrE. Second, there is considerable overlap, even in AmE.

1. I would use "farther" in both sentences.

2. I would use either.

3. I would use "farther".

4. I would use "more".

B is not correct. I would change "than" to "from". A is OK. For C, I would write "than I" or "than I ran".

 

[Rover_KE]

See also the Similar Threads below.

 

[Tdol]

In BrE, you can get away with always using further.

 

[konungursvia]

It's the same in Canada. I believe Strunk & White popularized the farther vs. further distinction, but I don't really think they had the authority to do so.

 

[The apprentice]

Thank you MikeNewYork.


You're quite right and thanks for the correction.


In sentence (c) I'm making a comparison between two subject pronouns; in (b) FROM is the appropriate preposition to be used,

If I change TIME for STUDY in (4), would FURTHER be the correct one?

 

[bhaisahab]

They are the same word as far as I am concerned. I consider "farther" to be a misspelling.

 

[SoothingDave]

If you care to make the distinction, the difference has nothing to do with whether you know the distance or not. It's between literal and figurative.

 

[The apprentice]

In American English (AmE) both are used; one in physical distance and the another one in abstract or figurative distance, but my confusion is as follows:

Q - How much further do we have to go?

Though ''how much is the distance do we have to go?'' is by the time being an unknown distance that can be measured, it seems to me to be an imaginary distance until measured, and consequently FURTHER is better used.

A - We just have to go two miles farther.


Due the fact that ''two miles'' is a specific physical or a real distances, FATHER is the appropriate one to be used.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's not figurative or "imaginary" until measured. The question is asked about a literal distance, hence "farther."

It's not like I am using a metaphor when asking how far we have to drive. It's concrete. Not figurative. Literal.

 

[emsr2d2]

I recognise "farther" when I see it (of course) but I don't think I've ever felt the need to use it (BrE).

How much further are the shops?
How much further will you go to get your own way?
The further we go, the steeper it gets.
If we go any further, we'll get completely lost.
The further you push me, the less likely you are to get what you want.

 

[Tdol]

In American English (AmE) both are used; one in physical distance and the another one in abstract or figurative distance, but my confusion is as follows:

Q - How much further do we have to go?

Though ''how much is the distance do we have to go?'' is by the time being an unknown distance that can be measured, it seems to me to be an imaginary distance until measured, and consequently FURTHER is better used.

This could be figurative- not physical distance, but, say, in negotiations.