Le 1/07/08 22:54, dans 6cvjspF3gd7U1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
« Einde
O'Callaghan » <einde.ocallaghan@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> a écrit :
> ADPUF wrote:
>> 00:37, martedì 1 luglio 2008, John Briggs:
>>> ADPUF wrote:
>>>> 22:53, lunedì 30 giugno 2008, John Briggs:
>>>>> minimus wrote:
>>>>>> Which one is correct?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Alternate between three things
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Alternate among three things
>>>>> Neither: alternate between two things.
>>>> Suppose you have a three phase electric power system: you can
>>>> alternate each one of the three phases to connect a
>>>> mono-phase load every day to a different one of them.
>>> "Alternate" is only correctly used for two choices.
>>
>>
>> Really?
>>
> This is my reading of the dictionary definition form teh Merriam-Webster
> Dictionary:
>
> 1: occurring or succeeding by turns <a day of alternate sun****ne and
rain>
> 2 a: arranged first on one side and then on the other at different
> levels or points along an axial line <alternate leaves> — compare
opposite
> b: arranged one above or alongside the other
> 3: every other : every second <he works on alternate days>
> 4: constituting an alternative <took the alternate route home>
> 5: alternative
>
> Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
ALTERNATE
verb |ˈôltərˌnāt| [ intrans. ] : occur in turn repeatedly : the
governor****p
alternated between the Republican and Democratic parties | bouts of
depression alternate with periods of elation | [as adj. ] ( alternating) a
season of alternating hot days and cool nights.
• [ trans. ] do or perform in turn repeatedly : some adults who wish to
alternate work with education.
adjective |ˈôltərnit| (abbr.: alt.) [ attrib. ]
1 - every other; every second : she was asked to attend on alternate days.
• (of two things) each following and succeeded by the other in a regular
pattern : alternate bouts of intense labor and of idleness.
• (of a sequence) consisting of alternate items.
• Botany (of leaves or shoots) placed alternately on the two sides of
the
stem.
2 - taking the place of; alternative : the rerouted traffic takes a
variety
of alternate routes.
noun |-nit| (abbr.: alt.) : a person who acts as a deputy or substitute.
DERIVATIVES
alternately |-nitlē| adverb
alternation |ˌôltərˈnā sh ən| noun
ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from Latin alternat- ‘done by turns,’ from
alternare, from alternus ‘every other,’ from alter ‘other, the
other.’
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