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I know this is a really simple question so bear with me. What is the grammar rule governing another and other? When do you use which?

Sincerely
Lester

Good afternoon all!

I'll be the first to tackle this one, opening myself to the support and ridicule of my mates in this forum!

"Other" is one that is different from the one originally indicated. "Another" is one more than the one already in hand. So, if there are two birds, one big and one small, and I offer you the small one, you might say "No, I want the other one, the big one." If you are greedy and you want both of those birds, you might say "One is not enough, I want another."

That's not a rule, I know, just what came out of my fingers after the afternoon nap. (disclaimer #2325-t). Someone more clever than I will surely whet their tongue on this one. It will be interesting to see what the rules will be!

peace,
revel.

Not a bad description, but I'm not sure about the need to have sth "in hand". "Another" is often used after consuming what was in hand.

If I buy a beer and drink it, it is no longer "in hand" but because I no longer have any beer in my glass, if I want more beer, I will ask for another.

Either way, Revel, you are right when you say that "Other" is one that is different from the one originally indicated.

According to the OED, "an other has been normally written since c1600 (often also in earlier times) as one word, ANOTHER".

Aren't the rules for other, another and the other the same as for articles?

Consider:
I like westerns but not science fiction.
I like westerns but not other types of film.

I've had a beer and now I want a whisky.
I've had a beer and now I want another.

I saw your younger brother but not the older.
I saw your younger brother but not the other.

Not to be confused with the other as a euphemism

This is just a hunch so feel free to pan me with counterexamples.

Good morning everyone, and the others as well!

Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, I said "whet", not "wet" your tongue! Anyway, thanks for the support of my flimsy arguement. You are right, doesn't matter if the bird is in hand or in the bush, or, if plucked, on the plate or in the belly.

lolwhites, your sober observation fills out my improvised one as well, these words do indeed fall into the "article" slot in a sentence, our necessity to say which one and how many of those. "The other", one in particular, while "another" any one at all as long as it's in addition to.

Lester, take note, so far we all seem to agree on this one. Let's see if another of us offers other explanations.

peace,
revel.

Very well done, fellows.

Larry Latham

Who said threads didn't resolve anything?

Thanks for all the help everyone.
Sincerely
Lester

lolwhites wrote:Who said threads didn't resolve anything?

OK, OK I suppose I should say, "MOST threads." What is different here is that there is no argument.

Larry Latham

And I find that such an amicable thread is so welcome after reading threads on the Job Discussion forums here at Dave's.

Richard wrote:And I find that such an amicable thread is so welcome after reading threads on the Job Discussion forums here at Dave's.

Welcome aboard, Richard. You'll find, if you stick around, that we are, for the most part, friendly adversaries, even if we all seem to be fiercely independent in our thinking.

Larry Latham