ALTERNATIVE suggests that one has a choice between only two possibilities. It is often used with a negative to mean that there is no second possibility: to have no alternative.
Μια και έχει διάθεση για ψείρισμα ο Κώστας και έδωσε κι ο Ζαζ αυτή τη σημείωση από το Random House, να πω κι εγώ τον πόνο μου για το alternative. Υποτίθεται ότι είναι λάθος να μιλάμε για περισσότερες από δύο επιλογές / εναλλακτικές και πλεονασμός να λέμε «other alternative». Μπορούμε να το δούμε και στα ελληνικά: πάνω από 3.000 ευρήματα για «
άλλη εναλλακτική λύση». Δεν θα αρκούσε το «άλλη λύση», έστω το σκέτο «εναλλακτική»; Και το παράδειγμα του Κώστα θα ήταν καλύτερο να γραφτεί έτσι που να μη δημιουργείται παρεξήγηση:
you have no alternative (=no other choice) = δεν έχεις άλλη επιλογή / δεν έχεις εναλλακτική.
Ωστόσο, δείτε πώς το OED περιγράφει τη χαλαρότητα της χρήσης, το πέρασμα από τις δύο εναλλακτικές στις πολλαπλές, το «another alternative» της Όστιν, το «fourth and last of these alternatives» του Γκλάντστον:
alternative noun
1. strictly, A proposition containing two statements, the acceptance of one of which involves the rejection of the other; a statement or offer of two things of which either may be agreed to, but not both; permission to choose between two things.
(This is the only use of the word in Johnson, the following three being unknown to dictionaries till very recently.)
1624 Bedell Lett. iii. 71 A long compasse of a sentence...with I know not how many ampliations and alternatiues.
1719 Young Revenge ii. i. Wks. 1757 I. 128 My lord, you know the sad alternative, Is Leonora worth one pang, or not?
1794 Godwin C. Williams 123, I could not endure to think...of that side of the alternative as true.
1817 Jas. Mill Brit. Ind. II. iv. iii. 107 In the opinion of Clive there was but one alternative: that of embracing the neutrality, or instantly attacking Chandernagore.
1853 H. Rogers Ecl. Faith 422 The brief, simple alternative of Mahomet, death or the Koran.
2. loosely, Either of the two ‘sides’ or members of the alternative proposition, called in this use ‘the two alternatives’; either of two courses which lie open to choose between. In this use we find ‘no other alternative.’
1814 Jane Austen Lady Susan xxxviii. (1879) 282 It is impossible to submit to such an extremity while another alternative remains.
1858 Buchanan Message to Congr. 6 Dec., I could make no better arrangement, and there was no other alternative.
1864 J. H. Newman Apol. Life 329 There are but two alternatives, the way to Rome, and the way to Atheism.
3. esp. The other or remaining course; thing which may be chosen instead. In this use we find ‘no alternative' (which may also = no choice; see 1).
[1760 Sterne T. Shandy (1802) IX. ii. 211 There was no alternative in my uncle Toby's wardrobe.]
1836 J. Gilbert Chr. Atonem. i. (1852) 19 Yet law was never so repealed but that it still remained as the alternative.
1860 Tyndall Glac. i. ‘2. 19 We had therefore no alternative but to pack up.
1867 Buckle Civilis. III. iii. 146 A fate compared to which death would have been a joyful alternative.
4. Extended to, A choice between more than two things; or one of several courses which may be chosen.
1848 Mill Pol. Econ. (1865) I. 404 The alternative seemed to be either death, or to be permanently supported by other people, or a radical change in the economical arrangements.
1857 Gladstone Oxf. Ess. 26 My decided preference is for the fourth and last of these alternatives.
Ειδικότερα για αυτή την τελευταία φράση του Γλάντστον, δείτε κι αυτό το δημοσίευμα του 1902:
Four Alternatives
From The London Chronicle.
Mr. Balfour, in his recent letter to Mr. Plummer, discussed with dialectical unction the possibilities of “four educational alternatives.” In assuming that there can be more than two, the First Lord of the Treasury is merely following the example of Mr. Gladstone, who, in his “Homer” says: “My decided preference is for the fourth and last of these alternatives.” The necessities of expression in English would seem to justify the use of the word in this loose manner. If you are offered four things, one of which you must choose, how are you gracefully to allude to them? May you call them “options,” or “choices,” or “possible courses”? All these terms are ugly, and eminent statesmen are, no doubt, obeying a practical instinct in giving the word alternative some extra work to do. Strictly speaking, the word should have no plural, but to the compulsion of giving it one there is apparently no alternative.
