Which “If Not” Do You Mean?

The most ambiguous construction in the English language

“He’s smart, if not a genius.”

What does that mean? Does it mean he’s a smart guy but you wouldn’t call him a genius? Or is it saying that the guy is not just smart but that he’s a genius as well? It’s hard to tell because of the ambiguous nature of the construction. So why not just dispense with if not altogether?

To be sure, there are occasions when if not is clear but only when it is intended as an abbreviated “if it isn’t” or “if it weren’t” and the like. Let’s look at a few.

From a Washington Post article: “The ‘Portrait of Dr. Gachet’ might instead have been donated to the Met if not for a relatively short-lived quirk of the U.S. tax code” can be understood as “if it were not for a relatively short-lived quirk of the U.S. tax code.”

Inserting a word between if and not can make the meaning clear. Here’s a New York Times headline for an article on the tenor Klaus Florian Vogt: “His Voice is Essential, if Admittedly Not for All Tastes.” Nothing ambiguous there: Not everyone might like Vogt’s voice. Got it.

There’s also the “if not…then” construction. From a Washington Post article on the lives of Black kids: “And every part of their lives is policed — if not officially, then…