Even those who choose to be monogamous or single could learn much from the communication and boundarysetting tools outlined in more than two. Either definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Neither indicates that the two ideas are linked together. Either definition of either by the free dictionary. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage.
So, for example, strictly speaking one should say the longest of the three books but the longer of the two books. More than two is the home of franklin veauxs pages about polyamory and ethical nonmonogamy. On any given day, 45% of book readers are reading a book in one format or another. More than two is entirely without judgment and peppered with a good dose of humor. They entreat, they pray, they beg, they supplicate will either of these do, miss clary. Notice the usage notes, especially the ones given in the definitions by collins. If youre new to this site, a good place to start is by checking out the polyamory faq. She left her glove either at the convenience store, the library, or the playground. The meanings of these two words do overlap sometimes, but they are not true synonyms. As a pronoun either sometimes occurs in reference to more than two either of the three children, but any is more common any of the three children. If you prefer to use a negative, then you want to use either. The oxford dictionary online odo vigorously supports this usage.
This book is a practical, handson toolkit for having happy, successful. A frequent difficulty in english usage concerns the permissibility of using either to refer to more than one alternative. Jay had seen neither the snake nor the wasps nest on the next tree, and was. Usage guides say that the verb used with subjects joined by the correlative. When used as a conjunction, either implies one of two or more elements. Either cannot be used for numbers greater than two. Huddleston and pullum say both is restricted to twocoordinate constructions. When either is a conjunction, mw says, its used before two or more coordinate words, phrases, or clauses joined usu. I am not sure what some prescriptivist sorts may think of it, but in actual usage this is most definitely allowed in most english dialects at least those i know of. It is of a different style than the others and i havent enjoyed it that much, but from taking a glance at the summary, i think i must just need to power through to get to the good parts. What is the correct way to use the words either and.
It also kind of defeats the purpose of reading lots of different books at once. No one is disputing that students still use print books, or even that they use them in significant numbers. John can sing will and his brother can sing well too neither. Without a serial comma, it looks like jane austen and albert einstein is an appositive, rather than two more elements in a list. Neither of my parents speaks speak a foreign language. And there has been a shift in the format being used. From what i can tell, this is more common in ame than in bre. Standard dictionaries generally accept the use of either or neither to introduce a series of more than two items. When using either as a conjunction, you can apply it to more than two elements in a series. Sep 28, 2010 either is usually only used when there are two options. Care should be taken to avoid ambiguity when using either to mean both or each, as in the following sentence. People say things like either a, b, or c all the time. Apr 16, 2020 her hands, long and beautiful, lay on either side of her face.
The traditional rule holds that either should be used only to refer to one of two items and that any is required when more than two items are involved. To put it another way, the writer seems to be saying that her parents are jane austen and albert einstein. Remember that the rule applies only to the use of either as a pronoun or an adjective, as in either computer will run the software. Oct 29, 2017 the word either is used to express a choice between two alternatives. Infact, spoken language between college educated adults uses only 17.
The auxiliary needs to agree with the verb tense in the original. What is the difference between neither and either, and how are they. As an adjective either refers only to two of anything. What two books should i read to compare to each other. Mar 14, 2017 now the new book more than two can help you find your own way.
To convey the negative, use me neither responses that would mean something similar all. There are only two reasons a nonseer would see a spirit on st. The sentence above will almost certainly cause readers to do a doubletake. Is it appropriate to use the word either when referring. One of the books can not be written by a white male. Yet if you use either in place of neither in such a case and without another negative word, youre omitting the negative part of your reply.
Ok, i have to read 2 books and have to compare them to each other. Nov 10, 2007 yes, you can definitely say this with the meaning you intend here. A practical guide to ethical polyamory kindle edition by veaux, franklin, hardy, janet, gill, tatiana, rickert, eve, rickert, eve. For the past two and a half years, ive been working on a database of more than 75 usage guides and 123 usage problems in the english. Childrens books have 50% more rare words written in them. Can you say either when there are more than two options. Huddleston and pullum say both is restricted to two coordinate constructions. Kathy, some people do say me either when they mean me neither. Either and any either means one or the other of two. Aug 09, 2017 standard dictionaries generally accept the use of either or neither to introduce a series of more than two items. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
When there are more, linguistic prescriptivists counsel the use of any. The reason for this is that former and latter were formed as comparatives, and comparatives are correctly used with reference to just two things, while a superlative is used where there are more than two things. Is it ok to use either or neither with more than two choices. So neither either differences and use english grammar rules. Neither, neither nor and not either english grammar today. The traditional rule holds that either should be used only to refer. It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead more. When more than two options are available, use any one of them. A native speaker told me all the sentences are incorrect. But more than two explores other ideas in depth for the first time. This section gives you lots of advice, helping you to avoid making some of the most common mistakes of usage. What is the difference between either of them and either one. In my idiolect its okay in the anaphoric sense, too. Neither is the negative of either, denoting not the other, and not the one, and relating to two persons or things considered separately.
A second edition followed, taking into account more recent changes in english, and benefiting considerably from feedback from readers and my own further researches. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading more than two. Do not use eitherneither when there are more than two things involved. What is the difference between either of them and either. Either is used when you are making a comparison between two ideas, and only one of the ideas will come to pass. When used as the subject, the pronoun either usually takes a singular verb even when followed by a prepositional phrase with a plural object. Usage either is followed by a singular verb in good usage. Dec 26, 2009 when either is a conjunction, mw says, its used before two or more coordinate words, phrases, or clauses joined usu. Either is usually only used when there are two options. A practical guide to ethical polyamory by franklin veaux and eve rickert, published in 2014 by thorntree press. This weighed about 50% more than the first edition, reflecting my growing discovery that there was, so to speak, more grammar around than i had first thought. There are four times more people reading ebooks on a typical day now than was the case less than two years ago.
Dec 02, 2019 you were supposed to use more than or less than. Nothing will confuse you more than reading multiple books which have too many similarities. Its much more natural to say i havent read either of these books and i havent gone. Neither is used with nor to indicate two or more people, things. I also have started reading theodore sturgeon more than human. Case in point, childrens books use more rare words per words than spoken language between college educated adults speaking to friends or spouses. Are you uncertain about whether to say different from or different than or if you should say a historic event or an. I have a bundle of outlines for books that i want to write, and not surprisingly when writing on my current book slows down, i start dreaming about the neat ideas i have for my next one. Sometimes you can use either one and sometimes you have to choose either one or the other, but neither one is very difficult. You can use these words with a noun both books, neither book etc.
The word over can also be used in terms of spatial relationship the sun is over the mountain, whereas more than has a more precise meaning of greater than. Traditionally, former and latter are used in relation to pairs of items. You use either in front of the first of two or more alternatives, when you are stating. A practical guide to ethical polyamory veaux, franklin, gill, tatiana, rickert, eve on. Do you worry about the correct use of hopefully, for example, or wonder what the difference is between affect and effect or flaunt and flout. When used as an adjective either means one or the other of two people or. Either is combined with a negative verb and comes last in the sentence. Neither of and either of are followed by a plural noun or pronoun and a singular or plural verb. Generally, either refers to exactly two alternatives. Well, said frank, either you start fearing, or you are camping by yourself. Either dictionary definition either defined yourdictionary. Either denotes one or the other of two, and should not be used to include both. What is the correct way to use the words either and whether.
Any not either of the three opposition candidates still in the race would make a better president than the incumbent. Words similar to either and neither for 3 items english. Both both of neither neither of either eitherenglish. No one is disputing that print books are more convenient than ebooks in some contexts, just as ebooks are more convenient than print books in others. Every requires more than two to be spoken of and denotes all the persons or things taken separately. Either, each, any and every english practice learn and. This book is a practical, handson toolkit for having happy, successful polyamorous relationships. The more modern usage does prefer none with more than two things. The words use and usage are often used in the same way by many english speakers both native speakers and esl learners. After neither and either you use a singular verb neither candidate was selected for the job. However, if its an adjective meaning one andor the other or a pronoun meaning the one or the other, then either implies one of two only. As a conjunction, either often introduces a series of more than two. The word either is used to express a choice between two alternatives. But if you use neither, then make sure your sentence does not have any other negatives preceding it.
Each can be applied to two or any higher number of objects to signify every one of the number independently. The word use has many more meanings and applications than the word usage. It can mean instead or a i dont care attitude to the options provided. Now the new book more than two can help you find your own way. Is it appropriate to use the word either when referring to. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Multiple copies for classroom use central michigan university. Neither is defined as not one nor the other of two things actually happened or was true. The traditional rule holds that either should be used only to refer to one of two items, and that any is required when more than two items are involved. I agree with him that the first sentence is incorrect because any refers to more than two items.
Note that either is followed by a singular noun either answer is correct either method leads to the same result either cannot be used for numbers greater than two. Either and neither, singular or plural the editors blog. And check out our books about the english language. More than two is also the name of a book about nonmonogamy that franklin wrote with his partner eve rickert.
Sep 12, 2015 kathy, some people do say me either when they mean me neither. With completely new material and a fresh approach, franklin veaux and eve rickert wrote more than two to expand on and update the themes and ideas in the wildly popular polyamory website morethantwo. As a pronoun either sometimes occurs in reference to more than two either of the three children, but any is more common any of the. Ive heard a lot either a or b in english sentences. The english words either and neither can cause some problems for native and nonnative speakers of english. But in 2014, the ap stylebook changed to say you can write it either waythat both are acceptable in all uses to indicate a greater or lesser numerical value. So, if you are referring to two options, say either of the two. In it the authors share not only their hardwon philosophies about polyamory, but also their hurts and embarrassments. Merriamwebster unabridged, for example, says either can be used before two or more coordinate words, phrases, or clauses joined usually by or. Apr 15, 2018 eitheror it is giving someone a choice between two things. Around 1900, usage books began to claim that this was also true of either and neither, but the evidence does not support them. For this reason, it is more precise and thus potentially clearer to say more than.
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