Parenthese

Parenthese is a term associated with the punctuation marks used to enclose a segment of text. In English, the conventional word is parenthesis (singular) and parentheses (plural). The spelling “parenthese” may appear as a nonstandard variant or in discussions of cross-linguistic terminology. In French, the corresponding words are parenthèse (singular) and parenthèses (plural).

Etymology traces parenthesis to the Greek parénthesis, meaning insertion, from para- beside and en- thesis putting. The term reflects the function of these marks: to insert matter beside the main text.

Usage and function: Parentheses enclose material that is supplementary, explanatory, or aside from the main point. They can indicate optional elements, references, or enumerations. The enclosed text is usually considered nonessential to the sentence’s main meaning; the sentence should remain coherent if the parenthetical material is removed.

Forms and nesting: The typical shape is round parentheses: ( ). Other brackets include square [ ], curly { }, and angle < >, though these serve related but distinct purposes in different disciplines. Nested parentheses are common in complex mathematical or linguistic expressions and require careful matching of opening and closing marks.

In mathematics and computing: In mathematics, parentheses indicate grouping to determine order of operations. In programming and data formats, they enclose function arguments, control evaluation order, or delineate parts of expressions and statements.

Typography and style: Style guides vary on punctuation placement around parentheses. In some conventions, periods and commas inside the closing mark; in others, punctuation affecting the whole sentence may appear outside. Consistency within a document enhances readability.