Alternatives to “and/or”?

Question

As a programmer, I have no problem with seeing or using "and/or" in technical documentation. For example,

I can upvote an answer that satisfies me and/or mark it as accepted.

That's perfectly good English to me. However, if I were writing a novel, or even just an essay, or — heaven forbid — a poem, "and/or" would seem extremely out of place.

My question is, what should I be using instead? (I solemnly swear I will not use that knowledge to actually write a poem.)

Answer 1

Here are a few alternatives to the example you provided that avoid the stroke (forward slash). Pick whichever one you like!

1. I can upvote an answer that satisfies me, mark it as accepted, or do both.
2. I can do either or both of up-voting and marking as accepted the answer that satisfies me.
3. I can do either or both of up-voting the answer that satisfies me and marking it as accepted.

They are all grammatically correct, though perhaps 2. and 3. are a bit more convoluted, for the sake of logical clarity.

Answer 2

"And/or" is actually a fairly stupid expression, since the English words "and" or "or" aren't as exact or exclusive as this expression seems to imply. For example,

I like coconuts and steaks

doesn't necessarily mean "I like coconuts and steaks at the same time".

Here,

I can upvote an answer that satisfies me and/or mark it as accepted.

could just as well be

I can upvote an answer that satisfies me or mark it as accepted.

In the context of a normal piece of writing, there are very few people, except argumentative weirdos, who will take that to mean that you can't do both of those things.

If you desperately need to emphasize that both things are possible then Noldorin has answered that in detail.

Answer 3

I don't think and/or is stupid. The reason is that there are two types of "or"s.

• Inclusive Or: Please give me a taco and/or a burrito (I'm saying I will accept a taco, a burrito, or both.)

• Exclusive Or: Please give me either a taco or a burrito. (I will accept a taco or a burrito but not both.)

The problem is using plain-old "or" isn't very explicit about which is meant.

• Or: Please give me a taco or a burrito. (I will accept a taco or a burrito but maybe? not both...)

Many people need to be explicit that inclusive or is meant and not exclusive or. In my last sentence, which or is meant is ambiguous. Am I expecting to get exactly one thing? Or would both be acceptable?

But yes to answer your question we can try to phrase the inclusive or without use of and/or:

• Please give me either a taco or a burrito or both (Hmm kind of clunky... I'm going to stick with using and/or.)

Conclusion: and/or has naturally evolved to fill an unfilled niche in English...the explicit inclusive or. Why fight progress?