Is there a term for 'every other other'?

Question

When referring to something that regularly happens alternately with one other thing, you can say that one of the things happens 'every other whatever', relative to your current point in the pattern.

For example, if this week x happens, and next week y happens, and this pattern repeats each week thereafter, we would say that 'y happens every other week'. Next week, when y happens, we would say that 'x happens every other week' (from the week we are currently in).

How can we refer to when the non-other (i.e. the current) event will happen in future? I've heard 'every other other whatever' used (as in 'x happens every other other week'), but that sounds quite clumsy.

Is there a single term that expresses the same thing as 'every other other'?

Answer 1

The meaning of "every other week" is simpler than you're describing. It just means every second week, or once every two weeks.

See this discussion: Meaning of every other day/week

There doesn't need to be another related event that happens on the alternate weeks. The sentence "Y happens every two weeks" gives no indication that there is an event X that happens on the weeks that Y doesn't occur. It simply means Y happens on week one, not on week two, on week three, not on week four, etc.

The phrase every other week also does not imply not this week. If something happens today, and then not again until two weeks from today, it is entirely appropriate to say, "it happens (today and) every other week." Or, if something happens next Monday and then not again until two weeks later, it is equally appropriate to say, "it happens every other week."

There is some ambiguity in the phrase "every other." Imagine a class of students standing in a line; the teacher skips Allen, chooses Beth, and then every other student. Was every student except for Allen chosen, or were half of the students chosen? The only way to know is through additional context.

If you need an unambiguous version, trade "other" for "two" or whatever number is appropriate: Y happens every two weeks [and X happens on the alternating weeks]