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SUMMARY
This paper discusses the function and meaning of the word nema ‘unless, except,
but’. Most grammar books classify this word as a subordinate (conditional) conjunction,
and describe it as the “negative counterpart” of ef ‘if’. However, the author argues that
the meaning of nema is not ‘if not’; nema always implies or introduces an exception
from the previous statement (or command, wish etc.). /Vema-clauses also differ from
(most) other subordinate clauses (including e/-clauses) in that they cannot be fronted.
It is shown in this paper that nema has many disguises, so to speak. It is sometimes
used as a coordinate conjunction (roughly comparable to en ‘but’). When nema is a
coordinate conjunction, Conjunction Reduction of the second conjunct is possible, as
it is with most coordinate conjunctions, but unlike subordinate conjunctions; and nema
can be used to conjoin phrases. Nema can also be used as some sort of complemen-
tizer introducing interrogative complement clauses. Furthermore, nema can introduce
infinitival clauses with (controlled or arbitrary) PRO-subjects. In some such clauses,
gapping is also involved. It is a bit surprising that nema can introduce PRO-clauses;
it has previously been thought that all such clauses in Icelandic are introduced by
að ‘that’ (or a conjuntion ending in að, such as til þess að ‘in order to’, án þess að
‘without’, etc.).
There are, however, even more possibilities. It is clear that sometimes, nema cannot
be classified as any kind of conjunction, but must instead be considered an adverb.