Do the following sentences present acceptable usages for either
?
- Either this or that fruit is not tasty.
I do understand I should have said that differently i.e. with a positive statement:
Neither this nor that fruit is tasty.
But I am particularly interested in the negation. Some more examples for consideration:
Either fruits are not tasty.
Either students will not be restricted.
Either of the lakes are not polluted.
Either paths have not been taken.
P.S. I am not interested in these classic usages for either
in a negation:
My pal is sober and I am not drunk either. [hic]
We cannot use either copybook.
Best Answer
either in the pattern you have provided in your example sentences refers individually to two valid alternatives. A valid alternative is one having the required qualities.
For that reason, it is an inherent contradiction and ungrammatical to use either as the subject of a predicate where a valid alternative is said not to possess a required quality.
The correct form is
Neither refers individually to two invalid alternatives.