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Someone on Facebook had noted "alternate" in this by George Washington as indication that he had in mind the 2-parties system:
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.
On the other hand, his use of "one...over another" is more indicative of quantity greater than 2. ( The more appropriate phrasing for quantity of 2 would be "one...over the other." )
Do you think Washington was being inconsistent with his choice of words? Which did he have in mind: 2-parties system, or just multi-parties in general?
Here is what the OxED says:
I. A second, further, additional. (Another is distinguished from the other, in that, while the latter points to the remaining determinate member of a known series of two or more, another refers indefinitely to any further member of a series of indeterminate extent; it is not therefore applied to the determinate second of two.)
1. One more, one further; originally a second of two things; subsequently extended to anything additional or remaining beyond those already considered; an additional.
That sounds like another can mean 2 to me.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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