Learn Hardcore Turkish: Slogan ne uzun ne de süslü; açık ve basit. - The slogan is neither long nor fancy; it is clear and simple.

It’s the Turkish equivalent of “neither … nor ….” It coordinates two things and negates both at once. In the sentence, it pairs the adjectives uzun and süslü to say the slogan is neither of those. With this construction, you don’t add any separate negation (like değil) to the adjectives or the verb.

Examples:

Ne pahalı ne de ucuz. = Neither expensive nor cheap.
Ne okur ne yazar. = He/She neither reads nor writes. (Note: verbal form is not negated separately.)

Why is there no “is/are” in açık ve basit?

Turkish often drops the copula in third-person present statements. So Slogan … açık ve basit literally reads “The slogan … clear and simple.” You may add the formal/generalizing suffix -dır/-dir: Slogan açıktır ve basittir, but it’s optional and sounds more formal or definitional.

Why is a semicolon used here? Could I use a comma, period, or colon instead?

The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses about the same subject. Alternatives:

Comma + conjunction: …, ama/ancak açık ve basit.
Period: Slogan ne uzun ne de süslü. Açık ve basit.
Colon (to introduce an explanation/result): …: açık ve basit. All are acceptable; the choice is stylistic.

Do I have to include de in ne … ne de …? What about just ne … ne …?

Using de before the second item is standard and smooth: ne uzun ne de süslü. You will also hear and see ne uzun ne süslü (without de), which is acceptable but a bit brisker in rhythm. With three items, a common pattern is ne A ne B ne de C.

Is this de the same as the locative suffix -de/-da?

No. Here de is the separate conjunction “too/also,” used in the fixed pattern ne … ne de …. It is written separately and never turns into te/ta. So it’s ne de, not ne te. (By contrast, the locative suffix attaches to a noun: evde, okulda, and may appear as -te/-ta.)

Why don’t we use değil here? Would Ne uzun değil ne de süslü be okay?

Don’t add değil inside ne … ne de …. That structure already provides the negation. Use değil when you’re negating a single predicate: Slogan uzun değil; açık ve basit. But when negating two alternatives together, use ne … ne de … without değil.

Can I add the formal ending -dır/-dir to the adjectives?

Yes, for a more formal, generalizing tone: Slogan ne uzundur ne de süslüdür; açıktır ve basittir. In everyday style, the bare adjectives (without -dır) are preferred.

Can I swap the order to basit ve açık?

Yes: …; basit ve açık is fine. The pair açık ve basit is a common collocation (like “clear and simple”), so it may sound a bit more natural, but meaning doesn’t change.

What nuance does süslü have? Is it positive or negative?

Süslü means “ornate/embellished/flowery.” It can imply over-decoration or showiness depending on context. Near-synonyms:

More neutral/showy: gösterişli, şık (stylish), işlemeli (embroidered)
Over-the-top: şatafatlı The opposite in a design/context sense is sade (“plain/unadorned”). Here, pairing it with açık ve basit contrasts “not ornate” with “plain/straightforward.”

How do açık and net differ?

Both can mean “clear,” but:

açık is broad: clear, explicit, open, understandable.
net emphasizes crispness/precision (e.g., net cevap = a precise answer; net görüntü = sharp image). In style slogans, açık ve basit conveys “easy to understand and straightforward.”

Could I connect the clauses with ama/fakat instead of a semicolon?

Yes: Slogan ne uzun ne de süslü, ama (fakat/ancak) açık ve basit. Adding a conjunction makes the contrast explicit; the semicolon leaves it implicit but tight.

Do adjectives as predicates take any agreement or plural markers?

No. Predicate adjectives stay bare: Slogan açık. Sloganlar açık. You don’t add plural to the adjective. A formal -dır/-dir can be added for tone, not for agreement.

How does ne … ne de … behave with verbs?

It still negates both items, and the verb is typically in its positive form (no extra negative): Ne uzatır ne süsler (“[One] neither prolongs nor embellishes”). Avoid doubling the negation on the verb in this pattern.

Any pronunciation tips for words here?

slogan: slo-GAN (final stress)
uzun: u-ZUN
süslü: süs-LÜ (ü like German ü/French u)
açık: a-ÇIK (ç = ch; ı is the unstressed vowel in English “sofa”)
basit: ba-SİT
ne and de: both with short e, NE / DE

Can I add more than two qualities with ne … ne …?

Yes: Ne uzun, ne karmaşık, ne de süslü; açık ve basit. Typically, de appears before the last item, though you may see it repeated for rhythm in speech.