Pronunciation: [ʌnlˈɛs] (IPA) 
The word "unless" is spelled with eight letters, pronounced as /ʌnˈlɛs/. The first syllable is pronounced with the short "uh" sound, followed by a lightly stressed "less" sound. The "s" at the end of the word is pronounced like the "s" in the word "less". "Unless" is a conjunction implying a condition that must be met to reach a certain outcome. The correct spelling of this word is important to convey meaning and avoid confusion.
Unless is a conjunction that denotes a condition or a situation in which something will not happen or be the case. It is used to express a negative possibility or convey that something is true only if a particular circumstance or condition is not met. Unless functions as a conditional marker and is often employed to present an alternative scenario or to make an exception to a general rule.
In essence, unless implies that if a specified condition is not satisfied, a consequence will occur. It establishes a conditional clause that acts as an obstacle or a condition that needs to be avoided or negated for a particular result to be achieved. This conditional clause is typically placed after unless, forming a compound sentence that identifies the defining factor that must be circumvented or modified to attain a preferred outcome.
Unless is frequently utilized in formal and informal language to emphasize the importance of the condition or requirement stated. It signals a contingency that should not occur or a condition that must not be true for the desired outcome to happen. By emphasizing the negation of a particular situation, unless creates a contrast between potential outcomes and highlights the significance of adhering to the condition specified. Ultimately, unless imparts a notion of avoidance and sets the stage for a specific action or outcome to be realized.
Except; if not; supposing that not.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word unless is derived from the Old English phrase un-lesse, which can be further broken down into two components: un, meaning not, and lesse, meaning less or lest. Over time, the phrase evolved and underwent spelling changes to become unless. The less part in the phrase carries the sense of if not or except, and in combination with the negative prefix un, the word unless essentially means if not or except if.
