Clarification

Clarification is the act of making something clearer or less ambiguous. In everyday and professional communication, clarification aims to ensure that meanings, intentions, or instructions are correctly understood, reducing the risk of misinterpretation and error.

Common clarification strategies include asking specific questions, restating or paraphrasing what has been said, summarizing the key points, and confirming details. These tactics help both parties align on definitions, scope, and expectations.

Clarification occurs across disciplines. In linguistics and discourse analysis, researchers study how speakers solicit and provide clarification through explicit questions, reformulations, or repetition. In education and customer service, clarification improves learning outcomes and satisfaction. In human–computer interaction and AI, clarification dialogs resolve user input that is incomplete, ambiguous, or contradictory.

Etymology traces clarification to Latin clarificare, meaning to make clear. Related concepts include explanation, elaboration, and verification. Clarification differs from these terms: explanation provides reasons or causes; elaboration adds detail; verification confirms accuracy.

Limitations include the potential for over-clarification, which can impede flow or appear pedantic, and cultural or individual differences in communication style. Effective clarification balances directness with tact and adapts to context and the needs of the participants.