Neither/nor Either/or

Dollywagon · Feb 4, 2008

Is there a correct way to structure these pairs within a sentence - not both together, of course.

What I mean is, if you have "she had never been (neither/nor) (either/or)"

Sorry, I could be rambling, it's still early and I'm really whacked!

pdr · Feb 5, 2008

You mean like...

She wore neither shoes nor socks.

You may have either an ice cream or an ice block.

Marlys · Feb 5, 2008

Dollywagon said:
Is there a correct way to structure these pairs within a sentence - not both together, of course.

What I mean is, if you have "she had never been (neither/nor) (either/or)"

Sorry, I could be rambling, it's still early and I'm really whacked!

In your example, is it the never you're stumbling over? If so, neither/nor contains all the negative you need. The sentence would then read: She had been neither _______ nor ________.

I suppose if you kept the never, you would use either/or (to avoid a double negative), but that seems more awkward to me.

Dollywagon · Feb 5, 2008

You're right, Marlys, it was 'never' that was throwing me off. I figured I'd got a double negative when I sat outside and went over it with a clear head. Well actually I used a pen.

Serves me right for writing last thing at night (I produce drivel) and then trying to make sense of it first thing in the morning!

I'll go find a hole to sit in and hang my head in shame.

Bye ...

Bufty · Feb 5, 2008

And you don't need punctuation between the neither/nor elements.

IceCreamEmpress · Feb 5, 2008

"She had never been either a cheerleader or a pageant finalist."

"She had been neither a punk rocker nor a Goth."

I think with the first one, one might be tempted to put a "nor" in there, but that would be incorrect.

Dollywagon · Feb 5, 2008

Thanks all!

I think I get it now - In mitigation I am very tired :Shrug:

Neither/nor Either/or

Dollywagon

pdr

Marlys

Resist. Love. Go outside.

Dollywagon

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Dollywagon