adverberwhen

Adverberwhen is a term used in linguistic discussions to describe a hypothetical class of adverbial markers that encode temporal information about an event in relation to another reference point, often with an evaluative or evidential nuance. The name combines elements of adverb and when, signaling its role as a temporal adverbial particle rather than a simple clause.

The concept is not widely attested in established grammars and is primarily encountered in theoretical or experimental descriptions, including discussions of cross-linguistic variation and constructed languages. Adverberwhen is typically described as a flexible marker that can attach to verbs or appear within a clause to indicate that the timing of the action is being assessed relative to another event or moment, rather than simply naming when the action occurred.

Function and usage commonly involve two related ideas: sequencing of events and a speaker’s stance toward the timing. In some analyses, adverberwhen marks that the referenced event is known or verified from a particular perspective, such as after perceiving or confirming information. It can interact with other adverbials or evidential markers and may appear in different syntactic positions depending on the language or conlang in which it is proposed.

Morphology and realization are variable: adverberwhen may be a separate particle, a fused word, or a clitic that attaches to the verb or to the auxiliary. Its presence can affect information structure, contributing to discourse coherence by signaling how timing is understood or evaluated by the speaker.

See also: temporal adverbs, evidentiality, aspect and tense markers, cross-linguistic typology.