“and/or” there has got to be a better way?

You have words - now what do you do with them?
eberntson
Lexiterian
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:48 am
Location: Cambridge, Mass
Contact:

“and/or” there has got to be a better way?

Postby eberntson » Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:37 am

I was wondering about conjunctions the other day; then I thought about the fact that there seems to be a word for everything in English, so I came up with this question.

If there is a word for everything in English, why is there no conjunction that is the equivalent of “and/or?” If there is such a word why is not in common use? Are there words in French, German, Russian, Spanish, Latin, Greek, and/or other languages that have a word that means the same thing?

I have always been impressed with the French and their ability to work in the Cartesian frame (++, --, +-, -+) of thought, they must have a way of expressing the "and/or" point of view.

Garzo
Lexiterian
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:22 pm
Location: A place to cross the river Thames with your Oxen
Contact:

Postby Garzo » Mon Oct 10, 2005 4:35 pm

OK

Deirdre decided to have chips with vinegar and/or mayonaise.

Deidre decided to have chips with either vinegar or mayonaise, or both.

Make it three options -- that's logically what such sentence is trying to cram into two components.

-- Garzo.
"Poetry is that which gets lost in translation" — Robert Frost

Kris
Junior Lexiterian
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:41 am
Location: PA

and/or

Postby Kris » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:49 am

and/or is not a conjunction. the two words are joined only by a slash. it's easier for many to say and/or to avoid perhaps droning or specifics. it's the American way. it's faster!

Fast Food Language.

M. Henri Day
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1141
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:24 am
Location: Stockholm, SVERIGE

Re: and/or

Postby M. Henri Day » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:31 am

... it's the American way. it's faster!
It goes faster still in Swedish, where we write «o/e» for «och/eller». Superb Swedish engineering ?...

Henri
曾记否,到中流击水,浪遏飞舟?

Kris
Junior Lexiterian
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:41 am
Location: PA

Postby Kris » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:26 pm

... it's the American way. it's faster!


It goes faster still in Swedish, where we write «o/e» for «och/eller». Superb Swedish engineering ?...

Henri

However, the Swedish text is an abbreviation, is this correct? If it means and/or then the Swedes are faster.

Kris

Brazilian dude
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1464
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil

Postby Brazilian dude » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:43 pm

What about Spanish y/o, Italian e/o, and French et/ou? Those are not abbreviations.

Brazilian dude
Languages rule!

Kris
Junior Lexiterian
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:41 am
Location: PA

Postby Kris » Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:09 pm

What about Spanish y/o, Italian e/o, and French et/ou? Those are not abbreviations.

Brazilian dude
_________________

I added a thought to the original post. It had to do with the English language and there not being a conjunction for and/or.

I think maybe we strayed from the original post.

An American Mutt

KatyBr
Wordmaster
Posts: 959
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:28 pm

Postby KatyBr » Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:54 am

Kris, you may post on topic if you wish. :)

Kt
(and I like your idea~~ McEnglish!)

Brazilian dude
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1464
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil

Postby Brazilian dude » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:17 am

I think maybe we strayed from the original post.
This isn't the first and won't be the last time this has happened.

Brazilian dude
Languages rule!

M. Henri Day
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1141
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:24 am
Location: Stockholm, SVERIGE

Postby M. Henri Day » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:37 am

The meandering nature of our discussions is the secret of their not inconsiderable charm....

Henri
曾记否,到中流击水,浪遏飞舟?

Brazilian dude
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1464
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil

Postby Brazilian dude » Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:05 pm

Well put, Mr. H.

Brazilian dude
Languages rule!

Kris
Junior Lexiterian
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:41 am
Location: PA

Postby Kris » Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:56 pm

The meandering nature of our discussions is the secret of their not inconsiderable charm....

Henri


Very nicely put Henri. I have a tendency to babble. It's nice to know that a board is available in which to do so.

Kris*

Brazilian dude
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1464
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil

Postby Brazilian dude » Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:05 pm

Kris*
Is there a typo in your signature? It's hard to imagine, but whenever I write Brazilian, I write Brazilain and have to go back and correct it. Good thing I never do that with my real name.

Lusiano Eduardo de Oliveira
Languages rule!

KatyBr
Wordmaster
Posts: 959
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:28 pm

Postby KatyBr » Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:17 pm

Kris*, I'm glad you haven't come here trying to force us famous off-topic-ers to reform our errant ways.

Kt
we have had some try just that.:)

Brazilian dude
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1464
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil

Postby Brazilian dude » Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:19 pm

Kt
we have had some try just that.
And we are quite proficient at sending them packing.

Brazilian dude
Languages rule!


Return to “Grammar”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 7 guests