either next week or the week after vs in the next week or two

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brianbrian

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Aug 1, 2014
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France
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Canada
I want to make up two similar sentences.

(1) Either next week or the week after, I will travel to Europe.


(2) In the next week or two, I will travel to Europe.

Is it grammatically correct to say the phrase in red in (2) to mean "either next week or the week after"? Thanks.
 
Both phrases have equivalent meanings.
 
To me, only the first is specific. In the next week or two means "within approximately the next two weeks."
 
That is not very specific.
 
Either next week or the week after allows a range of specifically two weeks and no more. In the next week or two allows some number of days beyond the next two weeks and is thus less specific.
 
If it were Wednesday, "In the next week" means "from now" (ie. by the same time next Wednesday). "Next week" means sometime between next Sunday and the following Saturday. Thus, next week or the week after, could be almost three weeks away.

As far as specificity is concerned, I'm used to taking "In the next week or two" as less committal as to the end date.
 
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