Instrumentbetingede

Instrumentbetingede is a term used in Danish linguistics to describe a class of conditional clauses in which the condition is stated through an instrumental means—the tool, method, or instrument required to bring about the stated result. In these clauses the instrumental phrase is central to what makes the outcome possible, rather than a separate conjunction or particle signaling a generic condition.

Typologically, instrumentbetingede conditionals are often realized by marking the instrumental phrase in the protasis, frequently as an instrumental case or a prepositional phrase. The main clause then presents the result that depends on the use or availability of the instrument. These constructions can express necessity, possibility, or capability, and their exact realization varies across languages, being more common in those with rich case systems or flexible word order. They are relatively rare cross-linguistically but attested in several Germanic and other language families.

In usage, instrumentbetingede conditionals are distinguished from canonical if-clauses that encode condition through a conjunction or particle. They interact with mood, aspect, and discourse context and can appear in realis or irrealis contexts, depending on the language and speaker intention. The instrument often determines not only the means but also the feasibility of the action, framing the condition as tied to accessibility or sufficiency of the instrument.

Examples in English-like phrasing include sentences such as: Using a screwdriver, you can assemble the kit; With a proper key, the door opens; Using this tool, the task is completed. These illustrate how the instrument itself functions as the condition for the outcome. See also instrumentality, conditional mood, and Danish linguistics.