Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#44499 10/13/2001 3:44 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 163
member
member
Offline
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 163
A pet peeve of mine.

I was wondering if anyone else had noticed how many people have dropped the nor in favour of or? I was always taught that it was neither a nor b and yet, I am constantly seeing and hearing neither a OR b.


#44500 10/13/2001 5:47 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
[chanting]Keep that nor! Keep that nor![/chanting]


#44501 10/13/2001 7:09 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
I am constantly seeing and hearing neither a OR b.
I am neither seeing nor nor hearing nor.



#44502 10/13/2001 7:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
I searched for "neither....or" and found several instances, though "neither......nor" was more often used. But undoubtedly the OED will take the side of the morons, and say the either is acceptable.









#44503 10/14/2001 1:06 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
veteran
Offline
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
I am neither seeing nor, nor hearing nor, nor is seeing, hearing.


#44504 10/14/2001 1:09 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
I am neither seeing nor, nor hearing nor, nor is seeing, hearing.
Dang--you're a lawyer, all right!


#44505 10/14/2001 1:12 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
veteran
Offline
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
"I am constantly seeing and hearing neither a OR b."
Shouldn't that be "neither a NOR b"?




#44506 10/14/2001 1:37 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
"I am constantly seeing and hearing neither a OR b."
Shouldn't that be "neither a NOR b"?

Yup--I believe that was his point...


#44507 10/14/2001 2:15 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
veteran
Offline
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
I thought he was "seeing and hearing neither, a or b. Now I get it: "Neither a or b" was what he was seeing and hearing. Not "a or b". What ever happened to commas and quotation marks, anyway? I think they went the way of the "neither/nor".


#44508 10/14/2001 2:16 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
veteran
Offline
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
I thought he was "seeing and hearing neither, a or b". Now I get it: "Neither a or b" was what he was seeing and hearing. Not "a or b". What ever happened to commas and quotation marks, anyway? I think they went the way of the "neither/nor".


#44509 10/14/2001 7:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
I think I'm just going to neither ig-nor-e this thread ...



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#44510 10/15/2001 4:18 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Reminds of of the story back in the 1930s when two men stole steam engines and began to race them toward one another on a single set of tracks. One had a drunk at the controls, and he had no idea he was heading for a collision. The other had a guy from Oslo at the controls, and being the pig-headed Norwegian that he was, he was certain the other guy would turn to avoid a collision. Regardless, the trains did not collide because Norse is Norse and souse is souse and never the trains shall meet.



TEd
#44511 10/15/2001 5:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Nor neither either nor, none.



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0