Clausewide

Clausewide is a term used in linguistics and formal semantics to describe phenomena whose scope extends over an entire clause rather than a smaller constituent. It is commonly applied to sentential operators such as negation, quantifiers, and focus markers, as well as other elements that can influence the truth conditions of the whole clause.

The core idea of clausewide scope is contrast with narrow scope, where an operator binds within a sub-constituent like a noun phrase. Clausewide effects can contribute to ambiguity when readings depend on how operators interact with the rest of the clause. Researchers study how these readings are realized in syntax and how they are interpreted in semantics, often using tests with cross-clausal binding, quantifier raising, or movement analyses.

Examples arise in sentences that combine negation or quantification with other clause elements. For instance, some interpretations of sentences containing not and every tend to reflect a clausewide reading of negation, while others require a different scope arrangement. The precise analyses vary by theoretical framework, with syntax-semantics models proposing different mechanisms for how clausewide readings are licensed and represented.

In usage, clausewide is encountered in academic discussions of scope, sentential operators, and clause-level phenomena. The term is not universally standardized, and its definition can differ across linguistic traditions and theories. It remains a descriptive label for cross-clause scope effects in grammatical and semantic analyses.