Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

} I understand that "until" and "before" usually denote different
} concepts. In the following examples, however, they seem to be
} interchangable. Are they any different in meaning or formality?
}
} How long (will it be) before we get to New York?
} How long (will it be) until we get to New York?

They are both more formal than "Are we there yet?"

The "until" version suggests to me (ever so slightly more than the other
does) that we are en route.

In our last episode,
<4fe7b034.0312311946.28957d91@posting.google.com>,
the lovely and talented becky
broadcast on alt.usage.english:

There is no practical difference in meaning or formality.  I
imagine there are regional differences in frequency and nuance.
Personally I'd be more likely to say "before we arrive in New York"
and "until we get to New York."  Tense and other context may
influence frequency.  People are likely to find distinct preferences
among the following:

How long is it until/before we get to New York?
How long was it until/before you got to New York?

and so forth.

becky_backy@yahoo.com (becky) wrote on 01 Jan 2004:

I think I would use "till" instead of "until" in that sentence, which
means that I don't find the two words interchangeable in this sentence.
The two sentences may mean the same thing, but I don't think the
grammatical requirements of "before" and "until" are identical here. I
haven't checked, but given that sentence structure in a medical
article, I would check if I couldn't resolve it otherwise.