Holdssuch

Holdssuch is a fictional term used in discourse analysis to describe a specific argumentative move in which a general claim is immediately anchored by a concrete example or qualification. The construction signals that the assertion is “held” in place by an ensuing instance, thereby connecting claim and evidence in a compact, two-part sequence. The term is not an established label in mainstream linguistics but is used in teaching and speculative discussions to illustrate how grounding phrases can operate within a single clause or adjacent clauses.

Etymology and origin

Holdssuch is a portmanteau of holds and such, chosen to evoke the sense of a claim being supported by an illustrative instance. It was conceived as a teaching aid in online linguistics discussions around hedging, grounding, and the use of discourse markers, and has since appeared in fictional or hypothetical analyses rather than formal literature.

Definition and characteristics

- Core idea: a general or abstract statement is immediately followed or framed by a specific example or qualification that “holds” the claim in place.

- Typical environment: pedagogy, theoretical prose, and creative writing exercises intended to illustrate grounding and hedging strategies.

- Form: can appear as a parenthetical or inline connector that links claim to grounding, often relying on the reader to infer the supporting instance.

Usage in examples

- "The policy reduces waste, holdssuch, as demonstrated by the latest waste-tracking data."

- "The software improves productivity, holdssuch, when users adopt the new interface."

See also

Hedging, discourse markers, grounding, epistemic modality.

Note

This article describes a fictional linguistic term created for illustrative purposes and is not a widely recognized concept in established linguistic literature.