Question: Stefan's Project

Comment on Stefan's Project

Neither...nor relationships contain opposite expressions/words? Couldn't the two words also mean similar things or be both positive/negative?
greenlight-admin's picture

In NEITHER X NOR Y relationships, X and Y can be opposite (antonyms)
Example: This porridge is neither too COLD nor too HOT

Also, in NEITHER X NOR Y relationships, X and Y can be unrelated
Example: Ted's uncle is neither a LAWYER nor a CANADIAN

However, you won't find two synonymous words in this construction.
For example, we wouldn't says: That ball is neither LARGE nor HUGE.

Abhishek Patwardhan's picture

Hi I have a doubt for the third blank between empirical and serviceable.
greenlight-admin's picture

If Stefan produced a product that was SERVICEABLE, then that product functions as it is supposed to function. More importantly, SERVICEABLE is a very neutral description of something. That is, if an item is SERVICEABLE, then that item is neither great nor bad. So, if a product is neither great nor bad, then Stefan would expect neither commendation (praise) nor admonishment (scolding).

EMPIRICAL means that it's verifiable through experience or experiment. In this sense, we really can't say a PRODUCT is empirical, since a product can't really be verifiable.

However, the QUALITY of a product can be empirical/verifiable, but even if we were to say the QUALITY of Stefan's product is empirical, it really wouldn't have any bearing on whether the product is good or bad.

So, SERVICEABLE is the best option.

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