Everything about Than totally explained
"Than" is a
grammatical particle serving as both
conjunction and
preposition in the
English language. It introduces a comparison, and as such is associated with
comparatives, and with words such as
more,
less, and
fewer. Typically, it seeks to measure the force of an
adjective or similar description between two
predicates.
Usage
Usage prescriptionists apply a number of rules concerning
than that those who don't wish to be edited or corrected may wish to note. These prescriptive grammarians say that
than is a preposition that invariably governs the
oblique case; opponents argue that although the word has been used in other ways by writers such as
William Shakespeare, whose 1600 play
Julius Caesar contains the line:
» A man no mightier than thyself or me. . .
and
Samuel Johnson, who wrote:
» No man had ever more discernment than him, in finding out the ridiculous.
In actual usage,
than functions as both conjunction and preposition; when it's used as a conjunction, it governs the
nominative case, and when a preposition, the oblique case.
To determine the
case of a
pronoun following "than" observing the stricter rules, a writer must look for extra understood words and determine how they relate to the pronoun.
Examples:
- You are a better swimmer than she.
- represents "You are a better swimmer than she is."
- therefore, "You are a better swimmer than her" is arguably incorrect usage.
They like you more than her.
- represents "They like you more than they like her."
- therefore, "They like you more than she" would instead mean "They like you more than she likes you".
Further Information
Get more info on 'Than'.
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