RE: Grammar - Does "either" imply a choice between only two?

Subject: RE: Grammar - Does "either" imply a choice between only two?
From: "McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -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 10:44:49 -0400



Peter Neilson fretted:
>
> 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?
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


You might be wrong, but you are "wrong" in good company:

- mine!

:-)

Either / or = duality.

Any = one or more of many ("many" being more than two).

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Grammar - Does "either" imply a choice between only two?: From: Peter Neilson

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