"would rather" vs. "had rather"

[Logician]

Hi Alan and Torsten!
Could you tell me it?
I know that "would rather" often means "prefer".
But I sow 'had rather' in following sentense:
I had rather you not smoke here

What is "had rather"?
Is it the same (would rather)

Many thanks

Logician

[Alan]

Hi,

I'd rather you didn't smoke.

I had rather you hadn't smoked.

Both are expressing preferences but the second is more polite/remote.

Note the tenses.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Reflections

[Sitifan]

Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
http://www.bartleby.com/68/76/2876.html
had rather
like had better, had best, and would rather, is a Standard expression: He had rather [would rather] she go with him. She had rather [would rather] stay home. The contractions of had and would are of course indistinguishable.
http://www.englishforums.com/English/WouldRatherIHadRather/xdcx/post.htm
_________________
Thank you very much for your reply.

[Sitifan]

Usage Note: In expressions of preference rather is commonly preceded by would: We would rather rent the house than buy it outright. In formal style, should is sometimes used: I should rather my daughter attended a public school. Sometimes had appears in these constructions, although this use of had seems to be growing less frequent: I had rather work with William than work for him. This usage was once widely criticized as a mistake, the result of a misanalysis of the contraction in sentences such as I'd rather stay. But it is in fact a survival of the subjunctive form had that appears in constructions like had better and had best, as in We had better leave now. This use of had goes back to Middle English and is perfectly acceptable.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rather
_________________
Thank you very much for your reply.