下面是一所大学的研究生英语试题： The language is certainly not a different language ____ that of everyday life. A. from B. than C. with D. to
考题答案规定只有选A才是正确的。这种观点对吗？
上面的试题除了选A(from)之外,还可以选B(than)或D(to)。关于选B(than)的正确性,我们在different than条里已经作了论述。下面让我们来证明选D(to)也是正确的。对英语惯用法的研究表明,在当代英语里different to是使用得颇为普遍的,尤其是在英国英语里:
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a very different situation to the... one under which we live(Sir Winston Churchill) 一个完全不同于我们所生活的环境
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It is a different sort of life to what she's been accustomed to. (WNCD) 这是一种与她所习惯的生活完全不同的生活。
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She's so different to Rebecca. (Du Maurier) 她与丽贝卡是如此的不同。
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Their system is different to ours. (Doyle) 他们的制度与我们的不同。
当代的许多英文辞典已经明确地承认了这种语言事实：
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different — often followed by from, than or to. (WNCD)
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In British English to frequently follows different: The early sketches are very different to the later ones. (《韦氏词典》, 电子版)
考生应注意,托福试题在70年代仍将 different to 视为错误:
During the Renaissance, society held quite different ideas about education for women to what A B C D
we think today. (TOEFL)
我国研考题直到80年代还将different to视为错误：
Allen and I are in the same history class, but his assignment is different ____ mine. A. with B. from C. against D. to(全国研考)