other

other
other
1. For each other, see each 3.
2. other than.
When other is used as a pronoun or adjective, use of other than is straightforward and causes no comment:

• I'd never known anything other than hard times —D. Dears, 1974.

Objections are raised when other in this phrase is forced into the role of adverb (which it does not otherwise have), and Fowler (1926) regarded it as ‘ungrammatical and needless’ when a genuine adverb, otherwise, is available; so in the following example he would have urged use of otherwise than in place of other than:

• Other than at football matches or on coach journeys, people sing less spontaneously than in previous generations —T. Portsmouth, 1992.

However, the grammar of other than is not always so clear-cut, as the following example shows:

• I married her…but it never even occurred to me that our marriage would be other than a marriage in name only —A. Roudybush, 1972.

Is other here an adjective linked to marriage or an adverb linked to be? (The answer is a bit of both.) In AmE, this use goes unnoticed; in BrE it is increasingly common and generally unexceptionable, and often more idiomatic than the awkward alternative otherwise than, but readers should be aware of the caveat attached to it in more pedantic circles.

Modern English usage. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Other — Oth er, pron. & a. [AS. [=o][eth]er; akin to OS. [=a][eth]ar, [=o][eth]ar, D. & G. ander, OHG. andar, Icel. annarr, Sw. annan, Dan. anden, Goth. an[thorn]ar, Skr. antara: cf. L. alter; all orig. comparatives: cf. Skr. anya other. [root]180. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Other — Oth er ([u^][th] [ e]r), conj. [See {Or}.] Either; used with other or or for its correlative (as either . . . or are now used). [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Other of chalk, other of glass. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Other — Oth er ([u^][th] [ e]r), adv. Otherwise. It shall none other be. Chaucer. If you think other. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • other — UK US /ˈʌðər/ adjective ► ACCOUNTING used to describe amounts of money, usually small amounts, that are added together and not listed under a separate name in financial records: »These expenses are included under the headings utilities , taxes ,… …   Financial and business terms

  • other — index additional, alter ego, ancillary (auxiliary) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • Other — For other uses, see Other (disambiguation). The Other or Constitutive Other (also the verb othering) is a key concept in continental philosophy; it opposes the Same. The Other refers, or attempts to refer, to that which is Other than the initial… …   Wikipedia

  • other — /udh euhr/, adj. 1. additional or further: he and one other person. 2. different or distinct from the one mentioned or implied: in some other city; Some other design may be better. 3. different in nature or kind: I would not have him other than… …   Universalium

  • other — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ōther; akin to Old High German andar other, Sanskrit antara Date: before 12th century 1. a. being the one (as of two or more) remaining or not included < held on with one hand and waved… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • other — See: EACH OTHER, EVERY OTHER, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE S MOUTH or LAUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • other — See: EACH OTHER, EVERY OTHER, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE S MOUTH or LAUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • other — 1. adjective /ˈʌðə(ɹ),ˈʌðɚ,ˈaðə/ a) See other (determiner) below I get paid every other week. b) second. Syn: different, disparate, dissimilar …   Wiktionary

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