h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You have written:
"Nothing is better then this. "
and
"I guess that's better then nothing. "

Both of these statements have the adverb "then' substituted for the conjunction "than". The logic of these lines, then, becomes lost on the reader.

If nothing else, you have achieved humour. . .

Indeed, that is a problem. I've notified the editors; cheers for pointing it out.


GTB

i've never known the difference between 'then' and 'than'.

'Than' is for comparisons (greater than, less than); 'then' means 'next', or follows 'if'.

This 'Holier THAN thou' attitude will get you nowhere.
If it looks like rain, THEN you'd better bring an umbrella.
First, I prepared the rope, and THEN I hid behind a tree and waited.
No fair, you gave him more examples THAN you gave me.

Fixed Many thanks!

Fixed Many thanks!

Confused?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/U219076

You say: Confused?
Is that a signature, or a request for clarification?
I would be happy to explain, but that would not be helpful or appropriate if your message was not asking for an explanation.

Yes Confused confused

The confusion of 'then' for 'than'and vice versa is an error in idiom, and I think it is probably an error more of the ear than the eye. We hear the two words as similar and then confuse them in usage, without regard for their actual meanings. I suppose you could call it a "mondegreen"(as in: Lady Mondegreen)*, like hearing "would of come" for would have come, or like hearing Jimi Hendrix sing,"Excuse me while I kiss this guy". . . .
The author gave good examples of correct usage in the 4th posting in this thread:

This 'Holier THAN thou' attitude will get you nowhere.
If it looks like rain, THEN you'd better bring an umbrella.
First, I prepared the rope, and THEN I hid behind a tree.
No fair, you gave him more examples THAN you gave me.

"Then" is an adverb. It tells when, as in examples 2 and 3 above.
"Than" is a conjunction, introducing the 2nd element in a comparison, as in examples 1 and 4 above. There is no reason to confuse the two, except that they sound similar.

I hope this helps.
Cheers.

*"Lady Mondegreen" is a song that was often requested of Dick Gaughan when he performed before an audience that wanted to hear his beautiful rendition of "The Bonnie Earl o' Moray". There is in fact no Lady Mondegreen, but in the song the Bonnie Earl was killed and "we laid him on the green."

Thanks
than and then used as conjuctions and adverbs makes perfect sense?

now we're not confused confused?

bable

Yum!