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John liao Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

Confused in "unless"

I would buy an e-reader provided I was going on a long trip.
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Unless I was going on a long trip, I would not buy an e-reader.

But I can't say "Unless I was not going on a long trip, I would buy an e-reader"?

Does "unless" normally stand with a positive clause as collocation?
  

Top answer

john liao oes "unless" normally stand with a positive clause as collocation? unless you're not hungry yet . john liao But I can't say "Unless I was not going on a long trip, I would buy an e-reader"?

— Mister Micawber

  • john liao oes "unless" normally stand with a positive clause as collocation?
  • unless you're not hungry yet .
  • john liao But I can't say "Unless I was not going on a long trip, I would buy an e-reader"?
  • I think it is the unusual circumstance ('unless not going on a long trip') which makes that sound odd.
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2 Answers
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john liaooes "unless" normally stand with a positive clause as collocation?
Perhaps, but only because of common circumstances:

Let's stop for lunch...unless you're not hungry yet.
john liaoBut I can't say "Unless I was not going on a long trip, I would buy an e-reader"?
I think it is the unusual circumstance
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The sentence, "Unless I was going on a long trip, I would not buy an e-reader.", is correct, and means essentially: "If I do anything, except go on a long trip, I do not buy an e-reader."

The sentence, "Unless I was not going on a long trip, I would buy an e-reader.", means essentially: "If I do anything, except not go on a long trip (that is, you go on a long trip), I buy an e-reader."
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