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Q&A How did 'less than' semantically shift to mean 'if not'?

What semantic notions underlie less than and IF NOT? How did less than semantically shift to mean IF NOT in at least these 5 languages? Just edit this post if you pine to add other languages with t...

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by PSTH‭  ·  last activity 5mo ago by Jirka Hanika‭

Question etymology
#7: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-11-13T06:38:06Z (about 3 years ago)
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less* than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT?
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean IF NOT.
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) appears germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less* than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT in at least these 5 languages? Just edit this post if you pine to add other languages with this semantic shift.
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The etymology for 'unless' reveals the etymon of 'un' as 'on', which suggests 'un ← on' in English to mean the same as *à* and *a* in the 4 other Romance languages.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition).
  • Can you please expatiate Dr. Timothy Romano's germane, but brusque [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053)? He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
#6: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-11-08T18:58:54Z (about 3 years ago)
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean IF NOT.
  • # My question
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less* than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT?
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) is germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less* than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT?
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean IF NOT.
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) appears germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
#5: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-11-08T18:48:23Z (about 3 years ago)
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean IF NOT.
  • # My question
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less*than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT?
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) is germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean IF NOT.
  • # My question
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less* than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT?
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) is germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
#4: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-11-08T18:48:03Z (about 3 years ago)
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - **less (adverb)** +
  • - than (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean '**if not**'.
  • # My question
  • What semantic notions underlie this semantic shift from **less** to **if not**?
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) is germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - ***less*** (adverb) +
  • - **than** (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean IF NOT.
  • # My question
  • What semantic notions underlie ***less* than** and IF NOT? How did ***less*than** semantically shift to mean IF NOT?
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) is germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
#3: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-11-08T11:59:31Z (about 3 years ago)
  • The 4 languages beneath features the same semantic shift. The prepositional phrase
  • - preposition : a, à, on → un +
  • - adverb : **less** +
  • - comparative preposition : than
  • shifted to signify '**if not**'. What semantic notions underlie 'less than' and 'if not'?
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The above substantiates the same semantic shift in at least 4 languages,
  • from the prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - **less (adverb)** +
  • - than (comparative preposition)
  • that semantically shifted to mean '**if not**'.
  • # My question
  • What semantic notions underlie this semantic shift from **less** to **if not**?
  • Dr. Timothy Romano's [answer](https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/56053) is germane. He holds [BA (Swarthmore), MA PhD (UPenn) in linguistics](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-romano-257a591a/).
  • > _Unless_ is a word formed from a prepositional phrase in Middle English `of|in|on lesse than...` It refers to a **sufficient condition**. (The mnemonic: less <=> sufficiency).
#2: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-02-27T07:06:15Z (almost 4 years ago)
  • The same semantic shift appears in the 4 languages beneath. The prepositional phrase
  • - a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
  • - **less (adverb)** +
  • - than (comparative preposition)
  • semantically shifted to signify '**if not**'. What semantic notions underlie 'less than' and 'if not'?
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
  • The 4 languages beneath features the same semantic shift. The prepositional phrase
  • - preposition : a, à, on → un +
  • - adverb : **less** +
  • - comparative preposition : than
  • shifted to signify '**if not**'. What semantic notions underlie 'less than' and 'if not'?
  • >1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)
  • mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*.
  • >2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.
  • >3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese.
  • >4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-02-27T07:04:47Z (almost 4 years ago) 
How did 'less than' semantically shift to mean 'if not'?
The same semantic shift appears in the 4 languages beneath. The  prepositional phrase 

- a/à/un ← on (preposition) +
- **less (adverb)** +
- than (comparative preposition)   

 semantically shifted to signify '**if not**'. What semantic notions underlie 'less than' and 'if not'?


>1. [unless (conj.)](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=unless)      
mid-15c., earlier *onlesse*, from *(not) on lesse (than)* "(not) on a less compelling condition (than);" see [less](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=less&allowed_in_frame=0). The first syllable originally [on](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=on&allowed_in_frame=0), but the negative connotation and the lack of stress changed it to *un-*. 



>2. [à moins que](https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A0_moins_que) = sauf si.

>3. [a menos que](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_menos_que) means 'unless' in Spanish and Portuguese. 

>4. [a meno che](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/a_meno_che) means 'unless' in Italian.
etymology