区别辨析farther与further

farther与further这两词都可表示“更远(地)、进一步(地)”之意。

farther是far的比较级,指距离、空间或时间上的较远;有时也可指数量上或抽象的程度上的进一步,但不如further普通。

  • How much farther is it to the airport?
    去机场还有多远?
  • The fog's so thick, I can't see farther than about ten metres.
    雾太浓了,超过10米远的地方就看不见了。
  • It was farther to the shop than I expected.
    去商店的路程比我想象的远。

further也是far的比较级(作为副词,有人认为是fore或forth的比较级),按传统的观点,further表抽象的程度或数量的更进一步,不表实际距离。但现代英语,尤其在非正式语体中,这两个词的意思实际上已没有区别,而且further用得更广泛一些。

  • I never got further than the first five pages of "Ulysses".
    恐怕我看《尤利西斯》从未超过开头的5页,之后就看不下去了。
  • We discussed the problem but we didn't get much further in actually solving it.
    我们讨论了这个问题,但在实际解决方面没有取得多大进展。
  • The whole matter is further complicated by the fact that Amanda and Jo refuse to speak to each other.
    阿曼达和乔彼此拒绝说话,使得整个事件更加复杂了。
  • Every day she sinks further and further into depression.
    她一天天地消沉下去。