Posted by Edwin M. Kiser on May 21, 1999 at 04:27:27 from proxy18.ykt.prodigy.net:
In Reply to: Re: Australian newsletter website - Furthest/Farthest posted by Robert Thompson on May 20, 1999 at 18:42:27:
Regarding the usage of the two words: "further" and "farther".
After doing an analysis of the occurances of these two words, using
his first two books as the statistical sample, we see that in the first
book, "Swallows and Amazons," the word "further" is the much more frequently
used; in the second book, "Swallowdale," the reverse is true in that the
word "farther" is the more frequently used of the two.
The sources are from the Godine Publishers, the 1993 version, paperbacks.
In "Swallows and Amazons," there are:
25 references to "further" and 2 references to "farther"
In "Swallowdale," there are:
3 references to "further" and 39 references to "farther"
The file names indicate the chapter number.
Numbers in [] indicate the line number within the chapter.
===============================================================
3 references to "further" in "Swallowdale"
---------- SDCH5.TXT
[138]hard or too sudden for John left the Swallow further to the north
---------- SDCH8.TXT
[129]made. Further up the shed there was the noise of a saw cutting
[268] "Not much further than the island."
===================================================================
39 references to "farther" in "Swallowdale"
---------- SDCH1.TXT
[254]white farm-house high on the farther shore of the lake. "There's
---------- SDCH3.TXT
[189]down to the water's edge there, through a little farther south
---------- SDCH4.TXT
[78]to go much farther. Peggy said we couldn't."
[135] The larch wood at the farther side of the road looked easier
[249]and they could go no farther without climbing up the rocks be-
---------- SDCH5.TXT
[24]lake, along the farther shore. The explorers on Wild Cat Island
---------- SDCH6.TXT
[217]moved it a good bit farther in."
---------- SDCH7.TXT
[120] "It's not really much farther than the island," said Captain
---------- SDCH8.TXT
[68]outside the farm. John wished he was farther out still. He did not
---------- SDCH10.TXT
[286] "Not much farther than we are here," said Captain Flint.
---------- SDCH11.TXT
[84] "Farther than from here?"
[149] "Is it much farther than crossing the road?" said John.
[196]not much farther to the top of the larch wood," she said. "Be-
[289] "How much farther is it to your valley?" asked the mate.
[302]The farther away the valley seemed the better it was. In a moment
---------- SDCH12.TXT
[196] "I don't believe it's much farther to the farm from up here than
[224]fell sheep and burnt brown by the hot summer sun. Farther up
---------- SDCH15.TXT
[22]She went a few yards farther on along the edge of it and then
[144]farther from Swainson's farm. We'd have had to spend all our
[186]fall light as scraps of down one behind the other, a yard farther
[244]when the line would let it go no farther. Roger held the rod and
---------- SDCH16.TXT
[21]telescope back towards the north, looking at the farther edge of
[218]gone farther than the tarn."
[242]the farther side of the valley.
---------- SDCH17.TXT
[296]Farther away one or two white spots, hounds wavering and at
---------- SDCH20.TXT
[230]the farther shore. The Swallows ran out of the trees, climbed up
---------- SDCH21.TXT
[225]Amazon River. Farther round to the right they could see the
---------- SDCH23.TXT
[172]mountain was on the farther side of it. Below them woods
[255]only a few yards farther to the left, where another wood began.
---------- SDCH25.TXT
[369]Farther up... On the other side..." John looked at his watch
---------- SDCH28.TXT
[175] "Which of us can throw farthest?" said the boy, giving Titty a
[181]gone a yard or two farther than hers.
[183]Duck could throw yards farther than either of us if he wanted
[209]ending sharply where it dropped into the farther valley, faded into
---------- SDCH29.TXT
[64] "It can't be much farther now," said the able-seaman.
---------- SDCH32.TXT
[356]made the farther shore at last, after which they had only to follow
---------- SDCH35.TXT
[230] "But she wouldn't move so well. Get your weight a bit farther
---------- SDCH36.TXT
[405] "Not a yard farther," she said, "or they might see us from the
[482]had burned very low, and at the farther side of the camp with his
====================================================================
2 references to "farther" in "Swallows and Amazons"
---------- SACH3.TXT
[218]ran close by the island, but at this point was nearer the farther
---------- SACH21.TXT
[381]made a long board across to the farther side. Then, "Ready
====================================================================
25 references to "further" in "Swallows and Amazons"
---------- SACH3.TXT
[117]down the lake the island showed. It seemed further then it had
[269]just showing above water. John steered a little further from the
[317]further north along the island's shore.
[325] With the next tack John took the Swallow further out into the
---------- SACH4.TXT
[12]and Mate Susan and the able-seaman pulled her a little further up,
[150]into the little pool below him. Further out on the far side of the
[181]John rowed her round outside the furthest of the rocks.
---------- SACH6.TXT
[287]own island, but a little further north. At once they made up their
[290]minds not to sail home, but to tack a little further up the lake to
---------- SACH7.TXT
[24]would be bigger ones further out, like the fish the cormorants
[39] She went further out, to be nearer the fish, and further from
---------- SACH8.TXT
[100]himself. Presently he heard the voices further away, near the
[177]be sure, and presently they had passed the further point and could
[205]eastern shore of the lake. The further they went, the more houses
[207]A long sandy spit ran out with boathouses on its further side.
---------- SACH14.TXT
[80] "It's a good thing really that we went further than the pat-
---------- SACH15.TXT
[163]bered what Mrs. Dixon had said. Further, he held the houseboat
---------- SACH17.TXT
[171]down from above. It'll be better further down. The bough
---------- SACH19.TXT
[227]further side. It was clear that a boat was usually moored there.
---------- SACH20.TXT
[230] Their steps sounded further and further away. Then there was
---------- SACH28.TXT
[291]further, and it was clear that she had uncovered the iron-bound
---------- SACH29.TXT
[283]haven't had time for a furthest north expedition or for a furthest
[317]be something to think about during lessons. Either Furthest
[318]North or Furthest South would be good. Going south, we should
---------- SACH31.TXT
[459]out of sight beyond the further point of the bay.
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After all this, I'm not sure which one is supposed to be used where...
Ed Kiser