Parenthesesthat

Parenthesesthat is a term used in linguistic and typographic discussions to describe the practice of enclosing a that-clause or a small that-phrase within parentheses as an optional aside within a sentence. The concept combines the idea of parenthetical asides with the grammatical function of that-clauses, signaling that the enclosed content is supplementary, tentative, or less central to the main proposition. While not widely standardized in major style guides, the term appears in online discussions and style blogs as a way to describe a specific editorial choice rather than a fixed grammatical rule.

Usage and purpose

Parenthesesthat typically serves to add a claim or clarification without asserting it as a core part of the main clause. Writers use it to convey tentative or nonessential information, to record an aside, or to indicate content that may be contested or dependent on context. In practice, sentences employing this device can feel more conversational or nuanced, but overuse can impede readability. The decision to deploy a parenthesesthat usually hinges on the author’s editorial priorities, the intended audience, and the desired level of emphasis on the main claim.

Examples

- She claimed (that she would arrive on time), but she was delayed.

- The plan (that he proposed last week) has been shelved.

- Researchers noted (that the results were preliminary), suggesting caution in interpretation.

Relation to style and readability

Most traditional style guides discourage excessive use of parentheses, including repeated or nested asides. Parenthesesthat is generally recommended only when the writer needs to mark a clearly supplementary component or a tentative assertion without interrupting the primary flow. See also: parenthesis, that-clause, editorial aside.