Irregardless or Regardless?

Question: Someone in my office told me that there is no such word as “irregardless.” Is she right?

Answer: She’s right! You can say “regardless,” however, which IS a word.
Now you probably want to know why irregardless is not a word when so many people use it.

“-less” at the end of a word means “without.” (Think about “toothless.”) That makes “regardLESS” mean “WITHOUT regard,” which is probably what you mean when you say “irregardless.”

So what does “irregardless” mean? Nothing—It’s a double negative that reverses the meaning of what you think you are saying. You know what? Don’t say it!

What’s the difference between further and farther?

Question: Fran, what’s the difference between further and farther?

Answer: Both words refer to distance, in a sense. One word refers to distance that can be measured; the other refers to distance in terms of time or degree. Do you know which is which?

“Farther” refers to a distance that can be measured. (Think about the word “far.”)
Example: She lives farther from the Chamber office than I do.

“Further” refers to an intangible distance, such as a length of time or a degree.
Examples: Further investigation revealed a hidden clue in the attic.
She will question the winner further to make sure he was not cheating.