How does the Japanese language quantify over dual numbers?


[x-posted from linguistics stack
exchange](https://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/47734/how-does-the-
japanese-language-do-dual-quantification)

According to the evolution of the English language, certain quantifiers (both,
either, neither, each I think this is exhaustive) are remnant of the older
dual number.

However, Japanese, if I recall her linguistic evolution correctly, never had a
dual number. So how do Japanese language speakers quantify over dual elements?
That is, what is the idiomatic Japanese version of usage of both, either,
neither, and each?




When I read your question, I thought you might not be aware that Japanese
doesn't even have a plural form in the first place. However, looking at your
past questions, you do seem to know the basics of Japanese grammar, right?
Many languages, including Japanese, don't have dual or even plural forms, but
of course, you can still count numbers or say "both of the two", "either of
us", etc. Conversely, English doesn't have honorific forms of verbs, but that
doesn't mean you can't speak respectfully in English. From [this
answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/8176/5010):

> every language can sufficiently convey any idea that can be expressed in
> another language. The difference is that for each language there are some
> properties that must be specified when an idea is conveyed, even though they
> may be entirely optional in another language.

Here are some Japanese ways to say _both_ , _either_ and _each_. Refer to any
online textbook for details.

  * both = 両方, どちらも, いずれも

> 彼らは両方とも学生です。  
>  Both of them are students.

  * either = どちらか, 一方

> Either of us is a student.  
>  我々のどちらかは学生です。

  * each = それぞれ, 各

> それぞれの生徒は教科書を持っています。  
>  Each student has a textbook.

  * neither: (this indeed does not exist in Japanese; instead of "neither is A", we say like "both are not A")




When I read your question, I thought you might not be aware that Japanese
doesn't even have a plural form in the first place. However, looking at your
past questions, you do seem to know the basics of Japanese grammar, right?
Many languages, including Japanese, don't have dual or even plural forms, but
of course, you can still count numbers or say "both of the two", "either of
us", etc. Conversely, English doesn't have honorific forms of verbs, but that
doesn't mean you can't speak respectfully in English. From [this
answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/8176/5010):

> every language can sufficiently convey any idea that can be expressed in
> another language. The difference is that for each language there are some
> properties that must be specified when an idea is conveyed, even though they
> may be entirely optional in another language.

Here are some Japanese ways to say _both_ , _either_ and _each_. Refer to any
online textbook for details.

  * both = 両方, どちらも, いずれも

> 彼らは両方とも学生です。  
>  Both of them are students.

  * either = どちらか, 一方

> Either of us is a student.  
>  我々のどちらかは学生です。

  * each = それぞれ, 各

> それぞれの生徒は教科書を持っています。  
>  Each student has a textbook.

  * neither: (this indeed does not exist in Japanese; instead of "neither is A", we say like "both are not A")

