I have found the Mathematica version of "If" to be pretty handy.
If[test,a,b,c] returns a if test is true, b if test is false, and c
if test is neither true nor false.
I don't see a really good version of ... if test then a else b <what?> c
but a "functional" version of a conditional might solve the syntax problem.
(I think I proposed something like this years ago, but messing with
Mathematica brought it to mind.
If[Interval1 >=Interval2, bigger, smaller, overlaps] ...
RJF