different with / different from

[oloekis]

It may be different (with/from) each family, but there are similarities.


How would you describe the difference between "different with" and "different from" in the given sentence?

 

[owlman5]

Using "from" in that sentence wouldn't be idiomatic, Little Mon You. Saying "It may be different with each family,..." means that "it" varies among families.

Here's an idiomatic example using "different" and "from": My family is different from hers.

 

[oloekis]

Saying "It may be different with each family,..." means that "it" varies among families.

Does it mean that using "different with" doesn't mean anything like "comparison"?

 

[pops91710]

Does it mean that using "different with" doesn't mean anything like "comparison"?

No. It is more like it varies with different families.

 

[oloekis]

No. It is more like it varies with different families.

The dictionary says that if things vary, they are different from each other. What made you use "with" instead of "from", as in "it varies with"?

I am trying to figure out how to distinguish on using those two, so I asked if maybe "different from" has more sense of "comparison".

 

[pops91710]

It can't be different if it is not compared to anything else. Your dictionary is right. It is different (from the hypothesis or sample in question) with each family.

 

[owlman5]

Let's see if this helps, Little Mon You. When people use the pronoun "it" to mean "something", or "that thing", they typically use "with" when they use the word with "different":

Carl likes jazz. It's different with me. I like rock.
I am different from Carl. The music that I like is different from the music that Carl likes.

Does that help?

 

[oloekis]

It can't be different if it is not compared to anything else. Your dictionary is right. It is different (from the hypothesis or sample in question) with each family.

Would you say "They are different with each other"?
What would be the difference with(from?) "they are different from each other"?

 

[oloekis]

Let's see if this helps, Little Mon You. When people use the pronoun "it" to mean "something","that thing", they generally use "with" when they use the word with "different":

Carl likes jazz. It's different with me. I like rock.
I am different from Carl. The music that I like is different from the music that Carl likes.

Does that help?

Certainly a lot! Thank you for your help.

So saying "they are different with each other" can be simply considered as "a bit strange", while the meaning does not get changed a lot from using "from"?

 

[pops91710]

No, you cannot say different with each other It can only be different from each other. Different with and different from have two distinct meanings and cannot work interchangeably.

 

[oloekis]

No, you cannot say different with each other It can only be different from each other. Different with and different from have two distinct meanings and cannot work interchangeably.

Would you explain to me the two distinct meaning?

 

[pops91710]

Owlman has already answered that in post #7 quite well.