Talk:further

Oops

"[Further is the] comparative form of far: more far" is an error; see 'Farther'.

"It is further away" means the same as "It is farther".

"Further" is to increase position without specifying geographical direction: "She has gone further than her classmates" implies accomplishment rather than travel away from school.
"Farther", the opposite of 'nearer', means to increase the geographical distance: 'Farther down the road from Baltimore to Richmond than DC'.

Despite the popular 'descriptive school', the science of language should be proscriptive and normative to increase the effectiveness of language rather than descriptive of the least competent use (popular TV) as though it were legitimate, much less effective.
Careful use allows more meaning (the essence of life) to be shared. Careless use turns all vowels into schwas, and makes every sentence ambiguous; good for comedians and lawyers, bad for the rest of us.
--Wikidity 02:03, 28 November 2011 (UTC)

Much to the contrary, it is the prescriptive school that is popular, while the descriptive one is scientific. Language has been coping with ambiguity for millenia; it develops its own techniques to get rid of ambiguity when it considers that necessary. And if you think that schwas are careless, then we should abolish the English language all the way, because none other among the world's languages is and has been so inclined to turning vowels into schwas. 90.186.170.236 21:21, 13 April 2019 (UTC)

Further/Farther?

What's the difference between these two words? I know that further is more commonly used, and typically is used more in a verbal sense than farther, but the difference seems to be a fine line and it would be good if it was defined. -- 60.234.132.245 11:57, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

I'm sure that farther/farthest are not used in the UK that might be one thing but I've heard both on US TV programs before.--Williamsayers79 21:52, 28 March 2007 (UTC)

The bartleby.com link above explains it pretty well, I think. http://www.lessontutor.com/eesfarther.html is further (heh) evidence. Seems like "farther" is a comparison of things that can be measured in meters, and "further" is used for everything else, though perhaps that's slightly oversimplified. In the US, I these words tend to be used interchangeably, leading to considerable confusion. Infinoid 15:45, 26 May 2007 (UTC)

They are distinguished by some (I would say by careful writers, but that's just my opinion) in the US. Strunk and White says "These two words are commonly interchanged, but there is a clear distinction worth observing: farther serves best as a distance word, further as a time or quantity word. You chase a ball farther than the other fellow; you pursue a subject further." (Strunk, William, and E. B. White. 1979. Elements of style. 3d ed., 46-47. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co.) --Ishi Gustaedr 21:12, 16 October 2007 (UTC)

I'm sure "not used in the UK" is a bit exaggerated, but I also feel that "farther" is pretty rare. Homophony with "father" likely plays a role. Of course the two words are unlikely to be confused, but it nevertheless reinforces "further". 92.218.236.54 17:02, 17 July 2022 (UTC)

Missing another adverb sense...

...as in "This legislation needs to be further developed." ---> Tooironic 01:37, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

I agree. I have read people use further in time, not only further in space.--24.128.79.230 22:45, 16 August 2011 (UTC)

Oil Prices May Have Further To Fall

What meaning is used in Oil Prices May Have Further To Fall ? --Backinstadiums (talk) 16:08, 29 November 2019 (UTC)

In continuation of what has already been enacted

What meaning of enact is used here? --Backinstadiums (talk) 13:25, 18 January 2020 (UTC)

further to

further to (idiom) British, formal
used in a letter to refer to a subject discussed in a previous letter or conversation
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/further%20to

--Backinstadiums (talk) 18:15, 15 March 2020 (UTC)

must not go any further

used to say that something you are telling someone is secret or private
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/something-must-not-go-any-further

--Backinstadiums (talk) 18:26, 14 May 2020 (UTC)

Noun?

Is this a nominal use? have farther to go --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:13, 2 July 2020 (UTC)

I'd say it's just an inversion for "have to go farther" and thus an adverb. 92.218.236.54 16:57, 17 July 2022 (UTC)