Thread: Another, An Other.

Heya folks,

Silly argument that recently arose in an IRC Channel, and I would love to know the answer, hope someone can help! :P

Is Another the same as An Other?

Likewise, which I feel is somewhat more unlikely, is Around the same as A Round?

Focusing on the first one, they SEEM to carry the same meaning, to put it in context:

Originally Posted by First Dude

So, wanna go out for a Beer another time?

Originally Posted by Second Dude

So, wanna go out for a Beer an other time?

I would think it's about** clarity, A's and An's, to connect words more fluidly. And that in the midst of how common it was used in every talk, that it eventually merged due to how it does roll off the tongue?

Thanks for your thoughts, on this pointless matter! ^_^;;



** No, I wouldn't say this is a bout, lol... O_o

An other? I don't think that's a word (or two words) while another is. A round is definately not the same as around.

"Would you like to buy a round of drinks?" "Would you like to buy around of drinks?"

"The circle is a round object." "The circle is around abject."

Point taken on the Around one, that is definately different meanings, thanks ^_^ But I still think An Other means the same as Another.

Even though people do not say it explicitly disconnected as the former implies, it does make sense.

Originally Posted by Example #1

"Would you like the other drink?"

"Sorry? An other drink?", which could always be "Sorry? A different drink?"

As far as I can tell, there isn't a difference in meaning ^_^;; In standard speech, there isn't much point emphasising it, since it will sound odd as you are disconnecting words (preventing fluid speech), but shouldn't change merge the words as a result. I mean, that sentence just there:

"since it will sound odd as you are disconnecting words"

"odd as you", when that is spoken the letters connect together, particularly "Odd as", which if you were to place these selection of words side by side:

Originally Posted by Example #2

"Odd as"
"An other"

"Oddas" (Obviously this is wrong)
"Another" (And this is a Wrong we have gotten used to)

I swear, Another is just a bad habit, we write it as we say it because we say it fairly often. "Other" isn't actually a Noun itself, unlike "An Apple", it's like... a miscellaneous word (I'm sure it has a specific name in the family of Verb, Noun, Adjective and so forth, I dunno what though). And since it's not something specific, like a Noun, it apparently had the flexibility to Merge with other common words.

Or something! XD Nope, I reckon they mean the same thing. Perhaps the real test is to try replacing it in a mix of 20 different sentences where "Another" is featured, and not just emphasise the difference in speaking, but actually analyse: Does "An other" makes sense in it's place?

"An other" however can't mean "one more" whereas "Another" can :wink:

Each and everyone knows the meaning of Around and round or Other and Another r not same.

An other = a different one
Another = one more of the same

Which I think is what obviously was implying.