concerningof

Concerningof is a neologism used in linguistic and rhetorical analysis to describe a discourse mechanism in which a statement is paired with an explicit expression of concern about its implications. In practice, it functions as a labeled segment that foregrounds the speaker's concern while presenting information.

Originating in online linguistic communities in the early 2020s, the term concatenates the word concerning with the suffix -of to signal relation to a matter; it is usually written as a single word, “concerningof.” There is no standardized spelling, and usage varies with context and author.

In analysis, concerningof appears as a rhetorical device rather than a conventional syntactic unit. It is commonly used in critical writing, essays, or social media commentary to mark a shift from factual assertion to concern about consequences. Example: “The project will yield benefits, concerningof potential risks to the environment.” Another example treats it as a label: “Concerningof the budget, analysts warn of looming deficits.”

Reception of concerningof is mixed. Some readers find it opaque or gimmicky and worry that it burdens clarity; others view it as a useful tool for signaling stance and prompting critical reading. As a relatively new term, its precise boundaries and best practices remain under discussion.

See also: discourse marker, stance, hedging, meta-discourse.