#neithernor

- Neither...nor (Phủ định)

- Either...or...(Khẳng định)

Đều là những cấu trúc khá phổ biến trong ngữ pháp tiếng Anh, vậy chúng có gì khác biệt? Cách dùng như thế nào?

Neither/Nor: The Anthem of the Polypolitan

I  recently read a book by Colin Wright titled Considerations. In each super-short chapter, Colin gives us an idea to consider. Change, Debt, Extremes and Feedback are some. One among the many others: Labels.

Colin suggests labels can be helpful as a shorthand to help others understand who we are but clarifies, “it doesn’t capture everything about us.” Rather provides anyone looking to locate who we are with a “correct zip code if not the exact address.”

For some of us, labels are weak stickers, the adhesive isn’t strong enough to stay for too long. Which should be fine but there are still others who depend on labels to understand the world, including people. They require the economy of a tagline to make sense of an individual’s full being. Never mind the impossibility of that benign approach, what’s perhaps more tragic is that it reveals the superficial intention of such a person’s engagement, when they refuse to go no further. They insist on brevity and will find a way to reduce you if you don’t do it yourself.

Colin ends the consideration of labels by applauding individuality, when you can “become your own” label.

He admits this is a much more difficult endeavor but possibly the best and most rewarding. Perhaps more challenging because it requires you to honestly and courageously deflect all the neither/nor labels that don’t apply—Despite the efforts of those who insist on tagging weak stickers onto you for their own comfort.

Artwork by Toyin Ojih Odutola || Lyrics are from Neither/Nor written by Moses Sumney who reserves all rights.

“I, as I say, never, never, never say never...I will certainly tell you, I’m under enormous pressure from many, many, many people to think about it".