Neither/ neither's

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Neither/ neither's
Message from lukaznachi posted on 15-03-2015 at 23:25:50 (D | E | F)
Hello.
Is the blue part correct? If it is, does it have EXACTLY the same meaning as the green part?
A: ''Ok, but you can choose Alcatel or Lenovo if you want to try something different from Samsung and LG.''
B: ''I don't know, I don't like either's software.''
B: ''I don't know, I like neither's software.''
Thank you for any reply.

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Edited by lucile83 on 16-03-2015 06:48

Re: Neither/ neither's from gerondif, posted on 16-03-2015 at 00:18:44 (D | E)
Hello,
I find both awkward (the 's) but they have the same meaning. Of course, when you say "I don't like", the negative is on the verb and the rest of the sentence goes smoothly whereas with "I like neither's software", you will have to stress more the n of neither because the person listening to you heard a verb in the affirmative form and needs now to be made aware that the meaning of the sentence is negative, so you might say that there is more insistance on the second sentence but it is not a rule, just a fact.(Did you manage to read that sentence on one breath ? congratulations!)

The first sentence implies maybe that you don't care about either of them whereas the second sentence indicates that you really like neither of them, but there again, it is a far-fetched explanation. You see a difference between the two sentences only if you want to find one.

Re: Neither/ neither's from lukaznachi, posted on 16-03-2015 at 00:33:41 (D | E)
Hello gerondif,
thank you very much for your extensive answer, as usual. I really appreciate it.

You've written that you find the 's in both sentences awkward. How would you write those sentences differently without changing their original meaning?
Thanks again, best regards.

Re: Neither/ neither's from razzor, posted on 16-03-2015 at 00:47:40 (D | E)
Hello!

The correct sentences are
- I don't like either software.
- I like neither software

'either' and 'neither' are adjectives here and you don't use the genitive (apostrophe S) with adjectives, do you?

Re: Neither/ neither's from here4u, posted on 16-03-2015 at 11:10:07 (D | E)
Yes! You may...if they have become pronouns in the process...

'Either' and 'neither' are adjectives here, but may become pronouns, and don't accept the genitive, contrary to some other adjectives...

'I like his paintings, but I really don't like hers.' (here, hers = [*her's]= 'her painting'!) as shown through:
'... though I like Claire's!'.... In that case, the possessive adjective becomes a possessive pronoun. 'Either' doesn't take an -'s when it becomes a pronoun, and isn't put in the genitive! 'Neither does 'neither'...

'Look at these paintings! One is Mary's and the other one is Paul's! Ugh! I don't like either.' ('Either's'- with a genitive - wouldn't sound English at all, but wrong!(besides being rude as it would sound as judging the persons as much as the works of art...)=> Not to be done!

Re: Neither/ neither's from lukaznachi, posted on 16-03-2015 at 13:55:51 (D | E)
Hello.
Thank you both for your replies.

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