'If...Not' and 'Unless'

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Sujeewa de Silva

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Oct 21, 2010, 11:28:29 AM10/21/10
to ඉංගිරිසි Ingirisi
Do you think 'unless' means the same as 'if...not'? Not always. Read
'Unless You Read This...' and find out.
(http://s-i-o-l.blogspot.com/2010/10/unless-you-read-this.html)

Thameera Senanayaka

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Oct 21, 2010, 12:01:21 PM10/21/10
to ingi...@googlegroups.com
Yeah, something like 'except if' seems more appropriate.

Btw, I came upon the following use of 'unless' in the Macmillan dictionary:

not unless (=only if)

‘Are you going to stay overnight?’ ‘Not unless it’s absolutely necessary.’



2010/10/21 Sujeewa de Silva <suje...@gmail.com>

Do you think 'unless' means the same as 'if...not'? Not always. Read
'Unless You Read This...' and find out.
(http://s-i-o-l.blogspot.com/2010/10/unless-you-read-this.html)



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Sujeewa de Silva

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Oct 21, 2010, 12:30:35 PM10/21/10
to ඉංගිරිසි Ingirisi
Yes, the opposite of 'unless' can be expressed with 'only if', as I
said. So in other words 'not unless' is 'only if'.

On Oct 21, 9:01 pm, Thameera Senanayaka <thameera...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yeah, something like 'except if' seems more appropriate.
>
> Btw, I came upon the following use of 'unless' in the Macmillan dictionary:
>
> *not unless (=only if): *
>
> ‘Are <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=are>
> you<http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=you>
>  going <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=going>
> to <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=to>
> stay<http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=stay>
>  overnight<http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=overnight>
> ?’ ‘Not <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=not>
> unless <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=unless>
> it’s <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=it's>
> absolutely<http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=absolutely>
>  necessary<http://www.macmillandictionary.com/search/british/direct/?q=necessary>
> .’
>
> 2010/10/21 Sujeewa de Silva <sujeew...@gmail.com>
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