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Perfect Stranger Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

So far as we know VS as far as we know

Dear Users,


I was wondering if there's any difference between as far as and so far as. Here's a quote in which Chomsky uses so far as:


When we study human language, we are approaching what some might call the ‘human essence,’ the distinctive qualities of mind that are, so far as we know, unique to man (Chomsky, 1968).


Thank you.

  

Top answer

Funny, 1968 is 50 years ago, a half-century. Time enough for things to have changed a little. I would have used "as far as" there without a second thought.

— Anonymous

  • Funny, 1968 is 50 years ago, a half-century.
  • Time enough for things to have changed a little.
  • I would have used "as far as" there without a second thought.
  • "So" does not sound wrong, but it does sound forced, to my ear.
  • I myself reserve "so" in such constructions for negative statements, for example "He was as tall as his brother" but "He was not so tall as his brother", but that is not really a rule.
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3 Answers
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Funny, 1968 is 50 years ago, a half-century. Time enough for things to have changed a little.

I would have used "as far as" there without a second thought. "So" does not sound wrong, but it does sound forced, to my ear. I myself reserve "so" in such constructions for negative statements, for example "He was as tall as his brother" but "He was not so tall as his brother", but that is not

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Perfect Stranger

Dear Users,


I was wondering if there's any difference between as far as and so far as. Here's a quote in which Chomsky uses so far as:


When we study human language, we are approaching what some might call the ‘human essence,’ the distinctive qualities of mind that are, so far as we know,

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Perfect StrangerI was wondering if there's any difference between as far as and so far as.

No, not in the expressions [so / as] far as [I / we] know.

Google's Ngram Viewer shows an interesting history of the two. In the 120 years between 1850 and 1970 'so far as I know' appears more frequently, but 'as far as I know' predominates

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