conditionliterally

Conditionliterally is a neologism used in linguistics and internet discourse to describe a stylistic pattern in which the adverb literally is attached to a conditional clause to foreground the condition as an actual, verifiable state rather than a mere possibility. The term blends the idea of a condition (the if-clause) with literal reinforcement, signaling that the stated outcome is intended as a factual consequence rather than an exaggerated claim.

Origins and attestation are informal. Conditionliterally appears in online discussions, language blogs, and commentary on social media, with no widespread standardization or recognition in major dictionaries. It is discussed as a pragmatic and rhetorical phenomenon rather than as a formal grammatical category. Because it arises in casual or analytical contexts, its usage varies by speaker and audience and often serves as a shorthand reference for a particular intensification pattern.

Usage and interpretation. In examples discussed by commentators, a speaker might say, “If the system crashes, you are conditionliterally locked out,” using conditionliterally to emphasize that the consequence is treated as an actual, non-poetic outcome. The construction can be found in humorous, critical, or meta-linguistic commentary about how relentlessly literal the language is being. Critics often view such uses as overliteral or performative, while proponents see them as a useful label for a recognizable discourse habit.

Relation to broader terms. Conditionliterally sits near discussions of literal versus figurative language, intensifiers, and conditional clauses, and is sometimes invoked in analyses of online communication and meme culture.