Exhortative

Exhortative is a grammatical term describing a mood or function used to urge, encourage, or invite action. It is often equated with the hortative mood and is distinguished from commands by a softer, inclusive or aspirational force. In many languages, the exhortative is a dedicated form or construction that signals urging rather than commanding.

In English, there is no widely recognized separate exhortative morphology. Instead, exhortation is typically conveyed with periphrastic or fixed constructions, most notably the phrase let + someone + base verb, as in let us begin or let there be light. These clauses express inclusive urging, inviting a joint action rather than issuing a direct imperative to a listener.

Across languages, exhortative or hortative forms may take different realizations. Some languages have a distinct verbal ending, particle, or particle-like word that marks exhortation, while others rely on syntactic strategies or context to convey the urging force. In linguistic typology, the exhortative is sometimes discussed alongside related moods such as the jussive (commands or requests), the optative (wishes), and the subjunctive (potential or non-factual statements), reflecting how languages encode speaker attitudes toward action.

Usage considerations include its social function: exhortatives often foster solidarity, invitation, or collective action and can vary in strength from mild suggestion to formal exhortation. They are frequently contextual, relying on listener expectations and politeness norms rather than strict obligation.

See also: hortative, jussive, optative, subjunctive.