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Frankinho Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary
... have no OTHER alternative ...?
Hello,
On TV today (BBC World), a person was asked about a certain behavior in a specific situation.
She justified her/their way of acting by saying:
"We have no other alternative."
Wouldn't it have been completely sufficient to say:
"We have no alternative."?
Since no alternative way of acting had been discussed?
Thanks in advance for any opinion on this of a native English speaker.
On TV today (BBC World), a person was asked about a certain behavior in a specific situation.
She justified her/their way of acting by saying:
"We have no other alternative."
Wouldn't it have been completely sufficient to say:
"We have no alternative."?
Since no alternative way of acting had been discussed?
Thanks in advance for any opinion on this of a native English speaker.
Top answer
"? Yes, but the turn of phrase with "other" is quite common nonetheless. The same is true for "choice".
- "?
- Yes, but the turn of phrase with "other" is quite common nonetheless.
- The same is true for "choice".
- We have no (other) choice.
- In the case of "no alternative" or "no choice", the speaker is thinking in terms of an opportunity to make a choice.
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8 Answers
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FrankinhoWouldn't it have been completely sufficient to say:Yes, but the turn of phrase with "other" is quite common nonetheless. The same is true for "choice". We have no (other) choice.
"We have no alternative."?
In the case of "no alternative" or "no choice", the speaker is thinking in terms of an opportunity to make a choice. There
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Thank you, Jim.
I do have a somewhat similar question:
I quite often hear (American) English speakers use the phrase "whether or not",
as in "... but whether or not they will decide to do so, that's entirely up to them.", for instance.
Wouldn't it be completely sufficient to use "whether" alone,
like in " ...whether they will decide to do so, ..."?
I do have a somewhat similar question:
I quite often hear (American) English speakers use the phrase "whether or not",
as in "... but whether or not they will decide to do so, that's entirely up to them.", for instance.
Wouldn't it be completely sufficient to use "whether" alone,
like in " ...whether they will decide to do so, ..."?
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"Whether" implies an alternative.
Whether she goes or stays, whether you like me or not, whether he chooses Mary or Martin.
I find it more natural with the "or not."
Whether she goes or stays, whether you like me or not, whether he chooses Mary or Martin.
I find it more natural with the "or not."
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FrankinhoWouldn't it be completely sufficient to use "whether" alone,Yes, but here again, the tendency of native speakers is to include the redundant "or not". Maybe it shows that you have at least thought of the opposite possibility.
like in " ...whether they will decide to do so, ..."?
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A grammarian friend insists that "choice(s)" is usually mis-used.
You can have fries or baked potato. There are two possible items, but you have only one choice, only one item can be yours.
You can have soup, salad or fries: still, only one choice, even though there are three items from which to choose.
I understand his reasoning, but it certainly isn't a hill I w
You can have fries or baked potato. There are two possible items, but you have only one choice, only one item can be yours.
You can have soup, salad or fries: still, only one choice, even though there are three items from which to choose.
I understand his reasoning, but it certainly isn't a hill I w
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Interesting point. How does he feel about option? Also never to be used in the plural?
m-w.com gives option as a synonym of choice, then has a definition of option thus
an alternative course of action <didn't have many options open>
Nevertheless, none of the examples of choiceused the plural.
m-w.com gives option as a synonym of choice, then has a definition of option thus
an alternative course of action <didn't have many options open>
Nevertheless, none of the examples of choiceused the plural.
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This put me in mind of repetition.
How many repetitions of that musical figure does the composer use in that sonata?
(Do you subtract the first occurrence of that figure? Or would you include it in your answer?)
How many repetitions of that musical figure does the composer use in that sonata?
(Do you subtract the first occurrence of that figure? Or would you include it in your answer?)
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I would not count the first appearance as a repetition.
I believe, however, that in the world of body-building, "reps" as a number of exercises counts the first one.
Again, it certainly isn't a hill I would choose to die on.
I believe, however, that in the world of body-building, "reps" as a number of exercises counts the first one.
Again, it certainly isn't a hill I would choose to die on.
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