rather either

USAGE SUMMARY

"rather either" is not a correct or usable phrase in written English.
You could use either the phrase "rather than either" or the phrase "instead of either," depending on what you are trying to express. Example: I would rather eat a sandwich rather than either a salad or soup for lunch.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Rather either kind of consideration may be taken into account, as well as others, in determining what we would reasonably agree to.

SEP

In his Book of Religion, al-Farabi explains along these same lines that most people are not able to grasp truths through an exercise of intellect, but rather, "either due to nature or because they are occupied with other things" these people (the average folks) will "understand generally accepted or persuasive things" (BR, B 98; BR, M § 48).

SEP

In this phase, teams were asked to focus on specific gene changes common to many cancers as identified by The Cancer Genome Project (30) in order to estimate how the function of specific genes might be altered, not by specific gene mutations, but rather either by direct action or by epigenetic changes that might lead to the same functional ends.

Carcinogenesis

Determine which coins will make it onto the vase and which coins you'd rather either cash in or save.

WikiHow

I'd rather either not hand it in, or maybe wake up earlier to do it, than stay up late.

The New York Times

Rather, either it is necessarily true or necessarily false.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"We are an autonomous body serving Libya rather than either of the governments.

Independent

Pakistan is extremely important; indeed, Pakistan (rather than either Afghanistan or Iraq) is the central front of world terrorism.

The New Yorker

Others, believe that people should continue to focus efforts on institutions like banks rather than either of the two parties.

The Guardian - Opinion

This suggests that cultural evolution, rather than either of the two previous theories, explains the majority of linguistic structure.

Nature

They must surely also want a good deal rather than either a bad deal or no deal at all.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "rather either" in your writing. Use "rather than either" to express a preference between something and a choice between two options. For example: "I would "rather eat pizza than either pasta or salad".

Common error

A common mistake is to use "rather" and "either" together incorrectly. Remember that "rather" typically requires "than" to create a proper comparison or preference. For instance, avoid saying "I would rather either go to the park or the cinema"; instead, say "I would "rather go to the park than either stay home or go to the cinema"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rather either" functions incorrectly as a conjunction. It attempts to express a preference but fails due to improper grammar. Ludwig AI flags this phrase as incorrect, advising users to use alternative and grammatically correct constructions. The intended function is to show a preference, but the execution is flawed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

37%

Wiki

26%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "rather either" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is not a usable phrase in written English. Instead, use "rather than either" or "instead of either" to properly express a preference. While the phrase appears in some sources, its infrequency and grammatical incorrectness make it unsuitable for formal writing. Always opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clear and effective communication. Ludwig suggests using appropriate conjunctions and comparative structures to convey your intended meaning accurately. Remember that although some sources may use the expression, that does not make it acceptable in standard english.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather than either

Corrects the grammar to indicate a preference against both options.

instead of either

Indicates a substitution, choosing one option over both.

rather than

Expresses a preference for one thing over another, without explicitly mentioning "either".

as opposed to either

Highlights a contrast between one option and both of the others.

in preference to either

Formally indicates a favored option over two others.

alternatively to either

Suggests a different course of action from two listed possibilities.

instead

Offers a simple replacement for the original options.

on the contrary to either

Introduces an opposing idea to the previous two choices.

by way of alternative to either

Presents a substitute to the existing options.

conversely to either

Highlights a reverse perspective compared to the original options.

FAQs

What does "rather than either" mean?

"Rather than either" indicates a preference for something compared to a choice between two specific options. It emphasizes choosing one thing over both of the other possibilities. For example, "I prefer tea "rather than either coffee or juice"".

What can I use instead of "rather either"?

Since "rather either" is grammatically incorrect, use alternatives like "rather than either" or "instead of either" to express a preference. The correct phrase depends on the context.

Is it correct to say "I would rather either"?

No, it is not correct. The correct construction is "I would "rather than"". For instance, "I would "rather go for a walk than stay inside"". You can also say "I would "rather go for a walk instead of staying inside"".

How can I properly express a preference between multiple options?

To express a preference, use ""rather than"" to contrast your preferred option with others. For example, instead of saying "I would "rather either read or watch TV"", say "I would "rather read than watch TV"". You can also correctly phrase this with "I would "rather read than either watch tv or browse social media"".