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RE: Grammar - Does "either" imply a choice between only two?
Subject:RE: Grammar - Does "either" imply a choice between only two? From:"Tim J. Slager" <TSlager -at- isdcorporation -dot- com> To:Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>, TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:55:01 -0400
Henry Fowler (or his 2nd edition editor, Sir E. Gowers): "The sense any one of a number (above two), as in e. of 'the angles of a triangle,' is loose; 'any' or 'any one' should be preferred.
You are in good company.
tims
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+tslager=isdcorporation -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+tslager=isdcorporation -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Peter Neilson
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 8:27 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Grammar - Does "either" imply a choice between only two?
I have always felt it incorrect to say, for example, "either of the
following eight items" and prefer instead "any one of the following
eight items." Poking gently about on the internet I've not been able to
find any support for my preference.
Does "either" contain an implied dual number? Or am I right, but being
unnecessarily fussy? Or am I simply wrong?
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