“Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another.”
― Victor Hugo (Les Misérables, Part V, 1887)
What comes to mind when you hear this quote? Is it perhaps an echo of Valentine’s Day? Or a reminder of the need for kindness?
As an editor, the other thing that jumps out to me is the interchangeable use of “each other” and “one another.” This use matches how many people write and talk, but not everyone would agree. Some grammarians recommend using “each other” if referring to two people, and then using “one another” for three or more people. So, a one-on-one chat lets you catch up “with each other” but a group meeting (3+ people) may be to compare notes “with one another.”
Applying this logic to the Hugo quote would shape the meaning of the entreaty to love each other to apply to a couple, while the maxim to love one another would have a more universal quality.
And yet, as confirmed in Merriam-Webster, in actual usage this distinction is often not observed and hasn’t been since the 16th century. The terms can very easily be interchanged. Many people prefer to always use “each other” as it can sound less stuffy, while others switch between the two terms with ease.
In my different editing capacities, I’ve come across style guides that make the distinction, and others that do not. Again, both terms are correct if your style guide allows. Even the dictionary approves of a choose-your-own-adventure approach to these terms. There is one choice I would always flag, however, and that is one I came across in a published book this week: “each another.”
Do you prefer “each other” or “one another”? Would you interchange them, or perhaps even blend them into the term “each another”? Let me know by sending me a note on my Contact page.
Natalie Roth Editing Services 