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The difference between the adjective different and the participle differing is the difference between the verb phrases differ from and differ with. The first describes unlike things <Chevys are different from Fords>. The second describes unlike thinking <Democrats and Republicans have differing opinions>. According to the OED, the use of differing in the sense of "different" was "very common in the 17th and early 18th" centuries but is now rare or obsolete. That assessment, suggesting a marked DIFFERENTIATION between the words, is unduly sanguine. In fact, the imprudent use of differing for different is not rare at all in modern print sources—e.g.:
• "Bridge Builders is a program started by Mystrom that brings families from differing [read different] ethnic backgrounds together in social settings." Don Hunter, "Forceful Personality Creates Fans and Foes," Anchorage Daily News, 25 Mar. 2003, at B1.
• "The quarter-horses... all leave the starting gate with differing [read different] sizes and styles." Darren Hunt, "Springing into Action," El Paso Times, 26 Mar. 2003, at C1.
• "He objected to the differing [read different] wage requirements for rural and urban areas, saying it sends a message that rural workers are worth less than urban workers." Leslie Reed, "Measure to Alter Tax Breaks Advances," Omaha World-Herald, 26 Mar. 2003, at B1.
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发表于 2016-12-16 21:21:35
发表于 2016-12-20 08:04:31