Either (only for two things?)

Question

I’ve just read in Longman’s dictionary the following sentence:
It was either pink, red, or orange.
But I used to think that in good English ‘either’ and ‘neither’ are used only when we have to select an only one alternative between TWO ones:
It was either pink or orange.
So according to this we must say:
It was pink, red or orange.
But anyway is a sentence like ‘It was either pink, red, or orange’ somehow admitted in informal spoken English?

Leslie070950 · Accepted Answer

Either...being one or the other of two.

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Eladio

[url="http://www.bartleby.com/64/C001/026.html"]The American Heritage Book of English Usage[/url] says about the usage of either for more than two as follows;

A traditional rule holds that either should be used only to refer to one of two items and that any is required when more than two items are involved: Any (not either) of the three opposition candidates still in the race would make a better president than the incumbent. Remember that the rule applies only to the use of either as a pronoun or an adjective, as in "Either computer will run the software." When using either as a conjunction, you can apply it to more than two elements in a series:"She left her glove either at the convenience store, the library, or the playground." "Either the union will make a counteroffer or the owners will close the factory or the mayor will intervene."

paco

Eladio · Answer

Thank you paco. It follows from your explanation that the sentence
It was either pink, red, or orange
is correct. Am I right? Anyway could I say?:
"It was pink, red or orange" and it's simpler, isn't it?

The sueños are either sueños or realidades or decepciones.

Paco2004 · Answer

Creo que tiene razon.

Either (only for two things?)

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