Description: Irrelevant, unimportant. This term dates from the sixteenth century, appearing in Arthur Golding’s translation of Calvin (1583), “Our so dooing is neither here nor there (as they say),” as well as in Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Othello, and elsewhere.
Similar Terms:
- Beside the point
- Inconsequential
- Immaterial
- Peripheral
- Unimportant
Synonyms:
- Irrelevant
- Moot
- Unrelated
Antonyms:
- Pertinent
- Relevant
- Significant
Famous Quotes:
“What you do or don’t do is neither here nor there—just don’t annoy me.”
– Groucho Marx
“In the grand scheme of things, that’s neither here nor there.”
– Douglas Adams
Proverbs & Sayings:
- “It’s water under the bridge.”
- “It doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.”
- “Neither fish nor fowl.”
References in Literature:
- The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare: “Why, then the world’s mine oyster Which I with sword will open. I will retort the sum in equipage.” Here, talking about things that are “neither here nor there,” appropriately enough, within a playful context.
Suggested Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
- Books: None of Your Business by P. L. Trivial
- Songs: “Irrelevant” by P. J. Null
- Poetry: The Forgotten Thought by I. N. Sideline
- Movies: Side Stories directed by Foggy Detailson
Intriguing Titles with Emojis:
- 🧩 “Piecing Together ‘Neither Here Nor There’”
- 🌫️ “The Fog of Unimportance: Tales of ‘Neither Here Nor There’”
- 📖 “Chapter 9: This Part is ‘Neither Here Nor There’”
- 🧠 “Mind Benders: The Here, the There, and Oblivion!”
Quizzes
### Which of these is synonymous with 'irrelevant'?
- [ ] Pertinent
- [x] Beside the point
- [ ] Significant
- [ ] Relevant
> **Explanation:** 'Beside the point' is synonymous with 'irrelevant', while pertinent, significant, and relevant are antonyms.
### Which work features the phrase ‘neither here nor there’?
- [x] The Merry Wives of Windsor
- [ ] Moby-Dick
- [ ] War and Peace
- [ ] The Great Gatsby
> **Explanation:** The phrase appears in Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor."
### True or False: 'Neither fish nor fowl' is a perfect analogy for 'neither here nor there'
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** 'Neither fish nor fowl' indicates something that doesn't fit into a clear category, similar to how 'neither here nor there' indicates irrelevance.
Inspirational Farewell
“In the theater of words, some phrases claim leading roles while others are mere extras on the stage of dialogue. Remember, ’neither here nor there’ weaves the fabric of what gets edited out, but sometimes it’s the blank spaces that tell the most profound stories.”
🤓 Happy word waltzing!
– Evan Elocution
