either ... or

[navi tasan]

Which are correct:
1) Whatever they have found, they have either buried or taken away with them.
2) They have either buried or taken away with them whatever they have found.
3) They have either buried or taken away whatever they have found with them.

I don't think '3' works.

Can't these sentences have two meanings:
a) They have buried some of the things they have found and taken the rest away with them
b) They might have buried all the things they have found or taken them all away with them (I don't know which)

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[Tarheel]

1. This one is good, but you don't need the first "have" there.
2. This one is good, but you don't need the last "have" there.
3. NO.

The way I see it, they did one or the other but not a little of each.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you very much, Tarheel,

How about:
1a) Whatever statues they found, they have either buried or taken away with them.
2a) They have either buried or taken away with them whatever statues they found.

1b) The statues they found, they have either buried or taken away with them.
2b) They have either buried or taken away with them the statues they found.



Are these ambiguous? Could they have done a little of each in these cases.

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[Raymott]

It certainly can mean that they have done a bit of each - as in, "Whichever of the enemy they found, they either captured or killed."

 

[Tarheel]

Allow me to amend my first answer. It is possible that they buried some things and took the rest with them. (Maybe they couldn't carry everything.)

 

[Raymott]

Yes, naturally you have to consider the exact proposition and consider which is the most likely. It can mean either, (or 'both', perhaps).