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.”