Non vs None
No, none, non, no one etc. are some of the words in English language that are very confusing for students of English. This is because of the fact that all these words have similar meanings. However, despite similarities, there are two words non and none that remain a source of worry for the learners. This is because of the fact that the two words have similar pronunciations too. Let us take a closer look at non and none to make them clear to the readers.
None
None is a word that means no one or nobody. It can be used as a pronoun, adverb, or a noun. One of the most popular sayings ‘Jacks Of All Trades, Master of None’ contains this word. It becomes clear from this saying that none refers to the fact that one is average in most respects and not excellent or very proficient in even one of them. Take a look at the following examples to have a clearer understanding of the usage of this word.
• None of the students performed well in physics
• It is none of your business
• The old dress looked none the better even after dry-cleaning
• She responded to none of my text messages
Non
Non is a word that is used to express negation. It is not used as a free word but only as a prefix that simply means not. If someone has a non-medical background, it simply means he has nothing to do with the medical world. In addition to negation, non is also used to express absence of something. If one is talking about nonlinear motion, it is clear that he is explaining motion that is anything but in a straight line.
Non vs None
• Non reflects negation or absence of something whereas none means no one or nobody.
• Non is mostly used as a prefix while none is a common word in English language.
• Similar pronunciations of non and none often make it difficult for people to pick the right word.
• Non also indicates exclusion of something or somebody from a list or a group.