than

== English == === Alternative forms === 'n (nonstandard) thanne (obsolete) then (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English than, thanne, from Old English þanne, a variant of þonne (“then, since, because”), from Proto-West Germanic *þan, from Proto-Germanic *þan (“at that, at that time, then”), from earlier *þam, from Proto-Indo-European *tóm, accusative masculine of *só (“demonstrative pronoun, that”). Cognate with Dutch dan (“than”), German denn (“than”), German dann (“then”). Doublet of then. === Pronunciation === (stressed form) enPR: thăn, thĕn, IPA(key): /ðæn/, /ðɛn/ Rhymes: -æn, -ɛn (unstressed form) enPR: thən, IPA(key): /ðən/, [ðn̩] Homophone: then (unstressed form, also for some speakers stressed form) === Conjunction === than Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison. The artist worried more than was necessary: there were a lot of people at the exhibition, more than came last year. (obsolete outside dialects, usually used with for) Because; for. 1854, Reformation series: If thou say yes, then puttest thou on Christ (that is, the wisdome of God, the Father) unkunning, unpower, or euil will: for than he could not make his rule so good as an other did his. === Preposition === than Introduces a comparison, and 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 notes ==== Usage prescriptivists have a number of rules concerning than. According to them, than is not a preposition to govern the oblique case (although it has been used so by such writers 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.). Than functions as both conjunction and preposition; when it is used as a conjunction, it governs the nominative case, and as a preposition, the oblique case. To determine the case of a pronoun following "than", a writer can look to implied words and determine how they would 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], according to such prescriptivists, is a solecism. They like him more than me. represents They like him more than they like me. therefore They like him more than I is a solecism, if it attempts to represent the previous sentence. It may be correct, however, if it represents They like him more than I like him. Some prescriptivists insist that whom (and not who) must follow than, although, according to the above rule, who would be the "correct" form in the first example. Critics of this often cite this misguided and occasionally mandatory rule as evidence that the overall prescriptivist rule is logically erroneous, in addition to the latter's being inconsistent with well-established modern and historical usage. ==== Translations ==== === Adverb === than (not comparable) (now chiefly dialectal or a misspelling) At that time; then. === Anagrams === ha'n't, tahn, Hnat, hant, ha'nt, Nath, NAHT, han't, -anth, anth. == Bih == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Chamic *dhaːn, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *daqan (“branch, bough”). === Noun === than branch == Cornish == === Noun === than aspirate mutation of tan == Haroi == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Chamic *dhaːn, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *daqan (“branch, bough”). === Noun === than branch == Jarai == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Chamic *dhaːn, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *daqan (“branch, bough”). === Noun === than branch == Middle English == === Alternative forms === thanne === Etymology === From Old English þonne. === Conjunction === than than ==== Descendants ==== English: than === Adverb === than then 14th Century, Chaucer, General Prologue And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn,Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. And when he had drunk all the wineHe would not speak a word other than Latin ==== Descendants ==== English: then Yola: than == Old Dutch == === Etymology === From Proto-West Germanic *þan === Adverb === than then ==== References ==== Altniederfränkischer Psalm 2 == Old High German == === Alternative forms === thanne, thanna, dhanne, danne, danna === Etymology === From Proto-West Germanic *þan === Adverb === than then, there, when, at that time === Conjunction === than from there, therefore, if, because, after than, (comparative) ==== References ==== Braune, Wilhelm. Althochdeutsches Lesebuch, zusammengestellt und mit Glossar versehen == Vietnamese == === Pronunciation === (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [tʰaːn˧˧] (Huế) IPA(key): [tʰaːŋ˧˧] (Saigon) IPA(key): [tʰaːŋ˧˧] Homophone: thang === Etymology 1 === Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 炭 (“coal”, SV: thán). ==== Noun ==== than • (炭, 炮) coal than củi ― charcoal ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 嘆 (SV: thán). ==== Verb ==== than to complain ===== Derived terms ===== === Anagrams === tanh == Welsh == === Preposition === than aspirate mutation of tan === Mutation === == Yola == === Etymology === From Middle English than, from Old English þonne. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ðan/ === Adverb === than then === Preposition === than than === References === Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 86 & 96