samengehangende

Samengehangende is a Dutch adjective meaning coherent or logically connected. It is used to describe a text, argument, or narrative in which ideas are presented as a unified and well-structured whole, with elements that fit together and support the main point.

Etymology and form: The word combines samen- meaning “together” and hangen meaning “to hang,” figuratively signaling that parts of a discourse hang together. It belongs to a broader family around samenhang (coherence) and samenhangend (coherent). The form samengehangende is the attributive or predicative form commonly used before nouns in definite contexts or plural forms, as in de samengehangende tekst or de samengehangende argumentatie.

Usage: In linguistics, rhetoric, and qualitative writing assessment, samengehangende is used to describe the quality of coherence in discourse. It covers how topics are linked, how transitions function, how referents are maintained, and how the overall structure supports the thesis. Writers and editors seek samengehangende passages to improve clarity and persuasiveness. The opposite is onsamenhangende, meaning incoherent or disjointed.

See also: samenhang; coherence (Dutch context often refers to samenhang for the concept of coherence).