[General] one anther or each other?

[UM Chakma]

Hi!

Suppose some locations in Washington; L'Enfant plaza hotel, Hosteling International and State Department; they are very closer to one another/each other.

Is the bold phrase correct? If not, how it should be expressed?

 

[probus]

Strictly speaking, each other is used when there are exactly two others and one another when there are more than two. But in modern usage this distinction is not always observed.

 

[UM Chakma]

Then you say in this context "one anther" would be fine, wouldn't it? So what is always observed? Still not clear.

 

[probus]

I prefer "each other" when there are only two but if you said "one another" everyone would understand, and nobody would call the language police

 

[Rover_KE]

UM Chakma, type one another/each other in the Google Custom S(earch) box near the top of the page. You will find links to previous answers to your question.

Rover​

 

[UM Chakma]

Now it's clear:up:. For two "each other" is more appropriate and for more than two "one anther" is fine.

 

[Rover_KE]

UM Chakma, that's the third time you have misspelt 'another'.

 

[UM Chakma]

I didn't note that. It's actually a typo mistake. I don't know why my MS office dictionary didn't catch the mistake. Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

It didn't signal it as a mistake because 'anther' is an actual word in its lexicon.

anther n

• the terminal part of a stamen consisting usually of two lobes each containing two sacs in which the pollen matures

(Collins)

 

[UM Chakma]

Ah yeah! You did signal it as misspelt. Really? just knew "anther". Never seen and never heard.