Toelichtend

Toelichtend is a Dutch adjective derived from the verb toelichten, which means to explain or clarify. The word describes something that serves to clarify, expound upon, or make a text or statement comprehensible. In everyday Dutch usage, toelichtend is often placed before nouns or as an attribute of a clause to indicate that additional information will be provided to aid understanding.

In grammar, toelichtend is frequently found in sentences that introduce explanatory remarks. For example, “De docent gaf een toelichtend voorbeeld” translates to “The teacher gave an explanatory example.” The adjective can also be used in compound constructions such as toelichtende handeling (explanatory action) or toelichtende tekst (explanatory text), signifying content whose purpose is to clarify or teach.

The term is related to the English words elucidate, clarify, and explicate. While both toelichtend and elucidating share the aim of making something clear, toelichtend is typically used in formal or academic contexts within Dutch. It can also appear in legal or bureaucratic documents where precise clarification is required, for instance in “toelichtende bijlagen” (explanatory annexes).

Usage notes: Toelichtend is often employed when a subjecter or narrator anticipates confusion. By preceding the explanatory element with the adjective, Dutch speakers signal that the following information will reduce ambiguity or illuminate a previously ambiguous point.