Chapter 9

Correlatives

Certain adverbs and conjunctions, in comparison or antithesis, require the use of corresponding adverbs and conjunctions. Such corresponding words are called correlatives. The following are the principal ones in use:

as, as. as, so. both, and. if, then. either, or. neither, nor. not only, but. not only, but also. not only, but even. not merely, but. not merely, but also. not merely, but even. so, as. so, that. such, as. such, that. though, yet. when, then. where, there. whether, or.

The improper grouping of these correlatives is the cause of many errors in speech and writing.

As... as

“She is _as_ wise _as_ she is good.” “Mary is _as_ clever _as _her brother.” The correlatives _as... as_ are employed in expressing equality. Their use in any other connection is considered inelegant. _“As_ far _as_ I am able to judge, he would make a very worthy officer.” This is a very common error. The sentence should be, _“So_ far _as_ I am able,” etc.

_As_ is often followed by _so. “As_ thy days, _so_ shall thy strength be.”

So... as

In such negative assertions as, “This is not _as_ fine a tree _as_ that,” the first _as_ should be changed to _so_. Say, “She is not _so_ handsome _as_ she once was.” “This edition of Tennyson is not _so_ fine _as_ that.”

Either, Neither

The correlatives _either, or,_ and _neither, nor,_ are employed when two objects are mentioned; as, _“Either_ you _or_ I must go to town to-day,” “_Neither_ James _nor_ Henry was proficient in history.”

“He _neither_ bought, sold, _or_ exchanged stocks and bonds.” The sentence should be, “He _neither_ bought, sold, _nor_ exchanged stocks and bonds.”

“That is not true, _neither.”_ As we already have one negative in the word _not,_ the word _neither_ should be changed _to either,_ to avoid the double negation.

A negative other than _neither_ may take either _or_ or _nor _as its correlative, “She was _not_ so handsome as her mother, _or _so brilliant as her father.” “He was _never_ happy _nor _contented afterward.”

Position of correlatives

The placing of correlatives requires care. “He _not only_ gave me advice, _but also_ money.” This is a faulty construction because the first member of the correlative, _not only,_ being placed before the verb _gave_ leads us to expect that the action of _giving_ is to be contrasted with some other action. The close of the sentence reveals the fact that the words _advice_ and _money_ represent the ideas intended for contrast. The first correlative should, therefore, have been placed before _advice,_ and the sentence should read, “He gave me _not only_ advice, _but also _money.”

“I remember that I am not here as a censor _either_ of manners _or _morals.” This sentence from Richard Grant White will be improved by changing the position of the first member of the correlative. “I remember that I am not here as a censor of _either_ manners _or_ morals.”

“I _neither_ estimated myself highly _nor_ lowly.” It should be, “I estimated myself _neither_ highly _nor_ lowly.”

“He _neither_ attempted to excite anger, _nor_ ridicule, _nor _admiration.” The sentence should be, “He attempted to excite _neither _anger, _nor_ ridicule, _nor_ admiration.” But here we have the correlative _neither, nor,_ used with more than two objects, which is a violation of a principle previously stated. The sentence is purposely introduced to call attention to the fact that many respectable writers not only use _neither, nor,_ with three or more objects, but also defend it. This usage may be avoided by a reconstruction of the sentence; as, “He did not attempt to excite anger, nor ridicule, nor admiration.”