nþer

nþer is a scholarly term used to refer to a historical orthographic variant of the Old English word neþer, meaning “neither.” It is discussed primarily in philology and manuscript studies as an example of scribal contraction and the use of the thorn letter in early English texts. The form is not a standard modern English spelling but appears in discussions of Old English orthography.

Etymology and form: In Old English, neþer was formed from the negation particle ne- attached to a word meaning “other.” A minority of manuscripts occasionally show a shortened spelling nþer, in which the vowel of the prefix is omitted, likely due to scribal abbreviation. The pronunciation would have been close to the modern equivalent “neither,” with thorn representing the th sound.

Usage and meaning: The word expresses negation of one or two items, i.e., “not either of two.” It appears in standard phrases such as neþer … neþer, meaning “neither … nor.” In surviving Old English texts, the more common spelling is neþer rather than nþer, but the contracted form is noted in discussions of orthographic variation.

Modern descendants: The modern English word neither derives from the Old English neþer, passing through Middle English and Early Modern English with orthographic changes that replaced thorn with “th” and altered vowel quality. The study of nþer helps illustrate historical spelling practices and the evolution of negation in English.

See also: thorn (letter), Old English, ne-, neither, either.