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Does "Either must die at the hand of the other" imply both that A can only be killed by B and that B can only be killed by A?

English Language & Usage Asked on September 24, 2020

The prophesy made by Professor Trelawney about Harry Potter includes the phrase "Either must die at the hand of the other", speaking of Harry and Lord Voldemort.

Does this mean that both Voldemort must be killed by Harry and Harry must be killed by Voldemort?

Or merely that one must be killed by the other?

If the former, then presumably Harry is immortal after Voldemort’s death.

One Answer

As a pronoun, either has a meaning of "one or the other of two people or things" (Lexico). In the sentence, the contrast is between one of them and the other one: one must die at the hand of the other. Logically, this gives two mutually exclusive possibilities:

  • Voldemort must die at the hand of Harry
  • Harry must die at the hand of Voldemort

Once one of these possibilities happens, the prophecy is fulfilled: either has died at the hand of the other.

The alternative interpretation you give that requires both possibilities to be true would require a different initial pronoun, e.g. both:

  • Both must die at the hand of the other.

Or better yet:

  • Both must die at the hand of each other.

Correct answer by TaliesinMerlin on September 24, 2020

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