explicativ

Explicativ, or explicative, is a term in linguistics used to describe a device or construction whose primary function is to explicate—i.e., to explain, clarify, or restate—a proposition or its components. The label covers a range of forms rather than a single fixed structure, reflecting its role in making discourse more explicit. The word derives from Latin explicativus, from explicare “to unfold, explain.”

In use, explicativ devices include discourse markers and syntactic alterations that add explicit explanation. Common realizations are phrases or clauses such as that is to say, in other words, or namely, which restate or specify what has been said. They can appear as parenthetical insertions or as appositive noun phrases that identify a referent more precisely, helping to reduce ambiguity or clarify a reference. Explicativ forms also function to rephrase or paraphrase content for emphasis or clarity.

Cross-linguistic distribution of explicativ constructions varies. Some languages rely on dedicated particles or clitics, others use punctuation, and still others achieve explicative meaning through intonation, clause structure, or discourse markers. The precise typology of explicativ devices therefore differs by language, but the common aim is to provide explicit explanation or specification within discourse.

Relation to related concepts includes apposition, clarification, and paraphrase, though explicativ markedness emphasizes the explicit communicative act of explanation. Examples in English include “The author, namely Jane Doe, will speak,” or “The plan is simple, that is, to reduce costs.”

See also: explicative clause, discourse marker, paraphrase.