O.K. I need help again. Is the proper pronunciation, either or either? Did you hear the difference in pronunciation? You know, E-ther or Eye-ther? If either or either are interchangeable, then I don't need any help but I'm sure only one is right, so if there is a difference then when do you use "either or either" to be proper? Pronunciation or inflection are so hard on the computer. I have a compelling need to be correct and I've been using either most of the time and I'm sure some of the time, I should have been using either. Please help me with my education so I can stop embarrassing myself in public.

Wildman (home schooling himself)

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001

Answers

Depends what side of "The Big Pond" your on. Americanized English pronunciation accepts "e", while proper English pronunciation require "eye".

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001

You say either and I say I-ther, You say neither and I say NI-ther, Either, I-ther, neither, nI-ther, Lets call the whole thing off! (Gotta love Gershwin at a time like this, eh?). Both are acceptable, darlin'.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001

Don't you have "inflection" correction on your computer, Wildman :-)??

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

How about, "You say tomayto, I say tomato..."

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Either one works for me.

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2001

Technically....and I stess only technically..the pronunciation is Toe- mah-toe. This relates back to its original name which was Spanish, or Latin, or Mayan or something (I forget) and how it was pronounced. The word tomato is derived from that. That said..I usually say toe-may-toe.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2001

O.K. Jay. I'm on this side of the pond. So, you're telling me that if I'm talking to an Englishman (person) then I should use "eye". Naw, if they're over here I think I'll let them conform to our usage. On my budget, it's not likely I'm going to be on their turf anytime soon.

Alison, I was hoping no one would remember Gershiwin. I didn't want to get into neither or neither at this time.

Marcia, where do I go to install "inflection"? I looked under "Spell check". Do you have a newer computer than I do?

Dee, you're right in there with Alison, aren't you? Trying to confuse an important issue and stir up trouble? You didn't know the answer either, did you? See I used either that time. Sounds so much more uppity.

David. "Either one works for me". That's the one I normally use.

Wildman, (who has been corrected)

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2001

Oh my gosh! I just "got" David's reply! [red face! laughing too!]

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2001