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Either right or wrong

To: Over-the-Rhine at actwin_com
Subject: Either right or wrong
From: Jeff McCloud <teamccloud at yahoo_com>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 06:26:30 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <200105180758.DAA27602 at actwin_com>

<<<<<<<<<<<
"there do not happen to be EITHER design or
architecture firms in the area"  -- this is 
correct
construction too, yes?  (as is the neither/nor
construction, which likely is more formal/higher
english).  why not eliminate the singular 
adjective
and go for parallel construction?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"When Words Collide," a grammar book from my
journalism school days says this about either/or:

Called a correlative conjunction, it poses
"agreement problems. When a compound subject is
linked by correlative conjunction, the subject
closest to the verb determines the number of the
verb.

"(Example:) Neither the legislator nor her aides
were available for comment.

"When the subject closes to the verb is singular,
you must use a singular verb. The construction is
grammatical but sometimes graceless:

"(Example:) Neither the aides nor the legislator
was available for comment.

"Avoid awkwardness by placing the plural subject
next to the verb."

Jeff McCloud
teamccloud at yahoo_com






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From: E Geist <i_scoobysnak at yahoo_com>

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