# Grammatical question.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 1, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284 "2000-10-01T23:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![socialxray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@socialxray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/socialxray)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284/1 "2000-10-01T23:20:38Z")
So I was having this conversation with two friends of mine in which the following exchange occured: Me: “I don’t believe that.” Jarod: “I don’t believe it either.” Michael: “I don’t believe it either.” My question is this…is Michael using “either” grammatically correct? I’ve always thought of either making reference to two things. Jarod made a reference to neither he or myself believing it. So Michael, by context, is making reference to him not believing it on top of Jarod and myself, so can he use “either?” ---
**Author:** ![Merlyn\_NY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Merlyn\_NY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlyn_NY)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284/2 "2000-10-02T02:45:26Z")
I’m not an expert on the grammatical use of the word either, in the statement “I don’t believe it either.” But when in doubt, just say “No F’n Way!”. Solves all your grammar questions quite nicely I think. 🙂 -Merlyn NY- ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284/3 "2000-10-02T02:57:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by socialxray \* > \*\*So I was having this conversation with two friends of mine in which the following exchange occured: > > Me: “I don’t believe that.” > Jarod: “I don’t believe it either.” > Michael: “I don’t believe it either.” > > My question is this…is Michael using “either” grammatically correct? I’ve always thought of either making reference to two things. Jarod made a reference to neither he or myself believing it. So Michael, by context, is making reference to him not believing it on top of Jarod and myself, so can he use “either?” > > \*\* Either is making a reference to two things. You and Jarod, who both don’t believe. Is it proper? Not sure, but either likely has more than one meaning. Of course, I am way too lazy to access a dictionary. “I also don’t believe it,” is more proper but sounds less coloquial than a typical conversation with a buddy. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284/4 "2000-10-02T07:46:30Z")
The word _either_ can be used in many different ways. It can be an adjective, adverb, conjunction, or pronoun. In the sense Jarod and Michael used it, it would probably be an adverb meaning “likewise”. From the **New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary** > [@](#): > > In negative and interrogative contexts: any more than the other; likewise; moreover… This sense of the word dates from the early 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284/5 "2000-10-02T08:28:52Z")
the “either” does not refer to the number of people, it refers to the two options: either you believe it or you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![socialxray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@socialxray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/socialxray)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammatical-question/35284/6 "2000-10-02T16:57:04Z")
I know it refers to options, but in the case it refers to the fact that, in addition to myself, he too does not believe it. “I don’t believe it.” “I don’t believe it, either.” Thanks to the person who posted the Oxford Dictionary definition. That cleared it up more or less. 🙂