Hverken

Hverken is a Norwegian negative particle used to negate two alternatives within the same clause, typically in the construction "hverken ... eller". It translates roughly as "neither" or "not either" and is common in both Bokmål and Nynorsk.

Construction and usage: In a sentence, "hverken" introduces the negation and the second element is connected with "eller". It can modify nouns, verbs, adjectives, or entire clauses. Examples: Jeg liker hverken kaffe eller te. Hverken jeg eller hun kjente til planen. Hun skjønte hverken hva han sa eller hvorfor.

Position and nuance: This is a standard, formal-to-neutral construction in Norwegian and is widely used in both written and spoken language. It emphasizes that both options are not the case, rather than implying a single negation of one item.

Etymology and cognates: Hverken has Old Norse origins and is cognate with the Danish form "hverken" and the Swedish "varken" for the corresponding negation. The word is used in modern Norwegian in both major written standards.

See also: ikke, eller, og, negation in Norwegian.