Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 9 down vote favorite
1

When should "due to" be preferred over "thanks to", and vice versa? When can they be used interchangeably?

share|improve this question
would be interesting to throw "owing to" into the mix – bagheera Dec 21 '10 at 16:43
1  

2 Answers

up vote 15 down vote accepted

Thanks to has a positive connotation (unless used sarcastically). Due to is more neutral - it can have both a negative and a positive connotation.

We postponed our vacation plans due to the oil spill.

It was due to Dwight's efforts that this question was asked.

It was thanks to Dwight's efforts that this question was asked.

share|improve this answer
up vote 10 down vote

Due to: as a result of

Thanks to: with the help of

share|improve this answer
1  
The other meaning of thanks to is due to. Both due to, and thanks to can be used with the same meaning, but they have a different connotation. – kiamlaluno Jan 29 '11 at 20:33

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.