The Art of Nitpicking

Star Trek fans enjoy nitpicking over trivia from the popular TV series. One example comes from the episode called This Side of Paradise, first broadcast on March 2, 1967, in which Spock and Leila Kalomi, an old friend, are searching for spores. Leila comments: “It’s not much further.”1 According to The Nitpicker’s Guide for Classic Trekkers, the correct remark should have been: “It’s not much farther.” Although the adverbs “further” and “farther” are often used interchangeably, farther tends to be used to describe physical distance while further means to a greater extent.