The Genealogy of Grice, or Not

by JLS
for the GC

----- JONES wrote that 'or and only or' is an abomination and and 'awful' one at that. It reminded me of Jennings's book, "The genealogy of disjunction". He argues that 'other' means 'second' -- "jam any other day -- but not today", as in the Alice books. Then there's "either", which I think is a corruption of 'other'. This is from wiki, exclusive disjunction, quoting from the OED:

"The primary function of "either," etc., is to

emphasize the indifference of the two (or more)

things or courses … but a secondary function is

to emphasize the mutual exclusiveness, = either of the two, but not both."


---- Well, I'm pleased they don't think it's a sense!

---

Austin: You are good, Grice. But sometimes you should consult a dictionary.
Grice: Why, I don't give a hoot what the dictionary says.
Austin: I said "a" dictionary -- not "the" dictionary

--------------- adapted.