followingwith

Followingwith is a neologism used in discourse analysis and online communication to describe a rhetorical move in which a speaker immediately follows a primary clause with a supplementary clause or proposition that elaborates, qualifies, or extends the original statement. The function is to maintain cohesion while adding nuance, rather than to contradict or aggressively shift the argument.

Origin and usage context: The term is formed from following and with, signaling that the additional material comes “with” the initial claim. Early published uses appear in linguistic blogs and discussion forums in the 2010s, though similar practices have long been noted in conversational analysis under different labels. Followingwith is more commonly discussed in commentary on informal speech, social media threads, and deliberative writing, where rapid turn-taking and collaborative sense-making are prominent.

Functions and varieties: Followingwith can be elaborative, evaluative, concessive, or evidentiary. It helps preserve discourse cohesion by linking a substantive claim to a subsequent qualification, example, or resource. It can invite reader or interlocutor engagement by signaling that the speaker is not abandoning the initial point but expanding it. In some registers, the construction may appear as a single lexical item or as a phrase that behaves like a discourse connective.

Examples: The plan is financially viable, followingwith a phased rollout and contingency budgeting. The proposal meets basic criteria, followingwith an assessment of potential risks and stakeholder input. In formal writing, the device is less common and readers may substitute clearer connective phrases such as “and additionally” or “in addition.”

See also: discourse connectives, elaboration, cooperative argumentation.