Is "no differently" a common expression? Is it different from "not differently"?

Question

I found the expression "no differently" in this article.

The entry ban situation has also raised questions among many long-term residents of Japan.....

"While I haven't been impacted directly, because so far I haven't had a need to leave and come back to Japan, I've started reconsidering my residency in Japan," he says. "Many of us are committed to living here and do everything we can to positively contribute to Japanese society. But this situation feels like we're being treated no differently than basic tourists, despite the work we've put in to live here."

I understand that the "no differently" in the context just means "without distinction", but that way of expression (no + "-ly" adverb) was a bit new to me.

Q1. Is "no differently" a common expression?

Q2. What is the difference in meaning between "no differently" and "not differently", if any?

Q3. Do you use the same word combination with other "-ly" adverbs too? e.g. "no interestingly", "no surprisingly", "no hastily" etc

Answer 1

"No differently" isn't uncommon.

"Not differently" is relatively rare.

We wouldn't say "Treat us not differently". We'd say "Treat us no differently". But it would be possible to say "Treat us the same, not differently".

"No" is the negative equivalent of "any". We can ask "Are they any different?" and we can reply "They are no different" or "They aren't any different".

You can say:

• He is no taller than me. (= He is not any taller than me.)
• I am no less committed than you are. (= I am not any less committed than you are.)
• It is no different. (= It is not any different.)
• That is no answer. (= That is not any answer)

We could also say "He is not taller than me", "It is not different", etc. The emphasis is just a bit different because the notion of "any" is missing. We couldn't say "That is not answer", but we could say "That is not an answer".

Even though we say "It is no different", we couldn't say "It is no surprising" or "It is no interesting". That would make no sense, because "It is not any surprising" is ungrammatical. "Is it any surprising?" is also ungrammatical in standard English, whereas "Is it any different?" is perfectly grammatical and standard.

Because "different" allows "any" and "no", "differently" also allows "any" and "no" - which "surprisingly" doesn't. So "no surprisingly" would be ungrammatical, whereas "no differently" is perfectly standard.