Hope it helps: Nor/or Both nor and or are Standard after an initial no or not, although or is more frequent today: No running nor [or] shouting is permitted in the corridors. Not wheedling nor [or] threatening could move her. Typically nor is Standard after neither, particularly in Oratorical contexts, Edited English, and other Formal uses, as in Neither her father nor her mother attended her recital. But or can also occur there. Nor is also Standard in other negative statements, as in I didn’t want dessert, nor did I want coffee. Nor meaning than is Nonstandard and regional at best, and many would label it Substandard instead: She’s no brighter nor I am. The rules for using nor are neither simple nor easy to spell out. When using neither in a balanced construction that negates two parts of a sentence, you must use nor, not or, in the second part. Thus you must say He is neither able nor (not or) willing to go. Similarly, you must use nor (not or) when negating the second of two negative independent clauses: He cannot find anyone now, nor does he expect to find anyone in the future. Jane will never compromise with Bill, nor will Bill compromise with Jane. Note that in these constructions nor causes an inversion of the auxiliary verb and the subject (does he … will Bill …). However, when a verb is negated by not or never, and is followed by a negative verb phrase (but not an entire clause), you can use either or or nor: He will not permit the change or (or nor) even consider it. In noun phrases of the type no this or that, or is actually more common than nor: He has no experience or interest (less frequently nor interest) in chemistry. Or is also more common than nor when such a noun phrase, adjective phrase, or adverb phrase is introduced by not: He is not a philosopher or a statesman. They were not rich or happy. |
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发表于 2004-5-15 03:07:00
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