According to the traditional rule, neither is used only to mean “not one or the other of two.”To refer to “none of several,” noneis preferred:
按傳統(tǒng)規(guī)則,neither 只用于表示“不是這個也不是另一個”.要指“多個中一個也沒有”時最好用none ：
None (notneither )of the three opposition candidates would make a better president than the incumbent.·
三位反對黨總統(tǒng)候選人中的任何一個 （不用 neither )
都比在任者強.·
The traditional rule holds that eithershould be used only to refer to one of two itemsand that anyis required when more than two items are involved:
傳統(tǒng)規(guī)則認為either 只能用于指兩者之一, 如果涉及多于兩者的情況時,應用any ：
Any(noteither )of the three opposition candidates still in the race would make a better president than the incumbent.
正在參加競選的三個反對黨候選人中的任何 （不是either ) 一個都會比現(xiàn)任總統(tǒng)干得更好.
But reputable writers have often violated this rule, and in any case it applies only to the use of eitheras a pronoun or an adjective.When eitheris used as a conjunction no paraphrase with anyis available,and so eitheris unexceptionable even when it applies to more than two clauses:
但是許多著名作家經(jīng)常違反這個規(guī)則,這種情況只見于either 用作代名詞或形容詞時. 當either 用作連接詞時, any 沒有相應的替代詞, 所以即使用來連接多于兩個從句時,也要用either ：
Either the union will make a counteroffer or the original bid will be refused by the board or the deal will go ahead as scheduled. ·
或者工會提出一個相反的建議,或者董事會拒絕原來的要價,或者這事按原計劃進行.
In either. . .orconstructions,the two conjunctions should be followed by parallel elements. The following is regarded as incorrect: You may either have the ring or the bracelet (properly,You may have either the ring or the bracelet ).The following is also incorrect: She can take either the examination offered to all applicants or ask for a personal interview(properly,She can either take. . . ). ·When used as a pronoun, either is singular and takes a singular verb:The two left-wing parties disagree with each other more than either does(notdo )with the right.When followed by ofand a plural noun,either is often used with a plural verb:
在either … or 結(jié)構(gòu)中, 兩個連接詞后應跟并列成分.下面這句話被認為是不正確的：You may either have the ring or the bracelet ,正確的應是 You may have either the ring or the bracelet （你既可以有戒指也可以有手鐲）下面這句也是不對的：She can take either the examination offered to all applicants or ask for a personal interview. 正確的應是, She can either take …（她可以參加提供給所有申請人的考試,也可以要求一個單獨面試.） 作為代名詞時,either 是單數(shù),動詞應用單數(shù)形式： The two left-wing parties disagree with each other more than either does（不用 do )with the right.（兩個左翼黨之間的分歧比任何一個與右翼黨的分歧都要大）當后面接of 和一個復數(shù)名詞的時候, either 經(jīng)常與動詞復數(shù)形式配合：
Either of the parties have enough support to form a government.
這些政黨中任一個都有足夠的支持來組閣一個政府.
But this usage is widely regarded as incorrect; in an earlier survey it was rejected by 92 percent of the Usage Panel. · When all the elements in an either . . . orconstruction (or aneither . . . norconstruction) used as the subject of a sentence are singular,the verb is singular:
但是這種用法通常被認為是不正確的,在以前的調(diào)查中它被用法使用小組百分之九十二的成員所否定.當作為句中主語的either…or 結(jié)構(gòu)（或 neither…nor 結(jié)構(gòu)）中的所有成分都是單數(shù)的時候, 動詞也應用單數(shù)：
Either Eve or Herb has beeninvited.
伊夫和赫伯都被 邀請了.
Analogously, when all the elements in the either . . . orconstruction are plural,the verb is plural too:
類似地,當所有either…or 結(jié)構(gòu)中的成分都是復數(shù)的時候, 動詞也應用復數(shù)：
Either the Clarks or the Kays have beeninvited.
克拉克全家和凱全家都被 邀請了.
When the construction mixes singular and plural elements, however, there is some confusion as to which form the verb should take. It has sometimes been suggested that the verb should agree with whichever noun phrase is closest to it; thus one would write Either Eve or the Kayshave beeninvited, but Either the Kays or Evehas beeninvited. This pattern is accepted by 54 percent of the Usage Panel. Others have maintained that the construction is fundamentally inconsistent whichever number is assigned to the verb and that such sentences should be rewritten accordingly. As Wilson Follett put it:
然而,當結(jié)構(gòu)中既有單數(shù)又有復數(shù)成分的時候,動詞應采取什么形式說法不定.人們有時建議動詞的人稱和數(shù)應與離得最近的名詞短語呼應；因此人們說Either Eve or the Kays have been invited , 而不是Either the Kays or Eve has been invited . 這種格式被用法使用小組54的成員所接受.也有人認為不管動詞用什么樣的數(shù), 這個結(jié)構(gòu)本質(zhì)上都是一致的,因此這樣的句子應重寫.象威爾遜·伏萊特所說的：
“This [construction] is defensible, but a workmanlike writer may put his pride in not writing sentences that need defending.”See Usage Note at every, neither, or 1
“這個是站得住腳的,但是精心推敲的作者應以寫出不需為之辯護的句子而感到驕傲.”參見 every, neither, or1
The traditional rule also holds that neitheris grammatically singular:
傳統(tǒng)規(guī)則還認為neither 在語法上是單數(shù)：
Neither candidate is having an easy time with the press.
每一位候選人都被記者百般糾纏.
However, it is often used with a plural verb, especially when followed by ofand a plural:
但它常跟復數(shù)動詞連用,尤其當后跟of 和一個復數(shù)名詞時：
Neither of the candidates are really expressing their own views. ·
沒有一位候選人真實地表達出他們的觀點. ·
As a conjunction neitheris properly followed bynor,notor,in formal style:
作為一個連詞,在正式文體中neither 后宜跟 nor 而不是 or ：
Neither prayers nor curses (notor curses )did any good.See Usage Note at either, every, he 1none, nor 1or 1
祈禱和咒語（而不用 or curses ) 都不會起任何作用參見 either, every, he1none, nor1or1