either
part of speech
determiner, pronoun (either); adverb (either); conjunction (either … or)
meaning for a pupil
1) Either means one or the other of two: you can have either an apple or a pear. tree →
2) Either also means each of two, both: there are trees on either side of the road. tree →
3) After «not», either means also: I do not like it, and she does not either. tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths: a choice between two options; the two options are compared, not added; «either costs $5» means each one costs $5. In logic: «either A or B» means one of them is true. In everyday talk: «either way» means whichever happens. Phrases: either … or, either way, either side, not … either, either one.
examples
- And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. (Torah NUM.22.26, JPS 1917) tree →
- And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said unto him: 'Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.' (Torah GEN.31.24, JPS 1917) tree →
- Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing too long or too short, that mayest thou offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. (Torah LEV.22.23, JPS 1917) tree →
- 'Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.' (Prophets ISA.7.11, JPS 1917) tree →
- And he shall not regard the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall he look to that which his fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the sun-images. (Prophets ISA.17.8, JPS 1917) tree →
- that this shall be no stumbling-block unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath found redress for himself. (Prophets 1SA.25.31, JPS 1917) tree →
- You can pick either 2 red or 3 blue marbles. tree →
- Either ticket costs $5. tree →
- She did not like either book. tree →
- Which costs less, either way? tree →
- There are lamps on either side of the door. tree →
- You can sit on either chair. tree →
- I cannot swim, and my brother cannot either. tree →
- Either we take the bus or we walk. tree →
note
Say «EYE-ther» or «EE-ther»; both are right. Opposite in negatives: «neither» (not one and not the other). Use «either» with a singular verb: either book is fine. A choice word; the two options are compared, not added. Trap: «either costs $5» means each one costs $5.
In the corpora
- 'Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.'
- Surprising does not mean false, and it does not mean true either: it means check.
- You do not need to trust either; you can work it out yourself, and the working is the proof.
- Suddenly the Queen stands in front of them, frowning like a thunderstorm: «either you or your head must be off».
- The Queen: «either you or your head must be off, and that in about half no time!
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «either» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.