subargument

Subargument is a term used in linguistics, logic, and rhetoric to describe an argument component that supports or constitutes a larger argument. In linguistics, subarguments are the participants required by a verb or predicate, i.e., the argument structure or valency. For example, in the sentence "She gave Tom a book," the verb gave licenses three subarguments: the subject (the giver), the indirect object (Tom), and the direct object (a book). These subarguments together compose the predicate’s valence.

In logic and formal argumentation, subarguments are smaller argumentative steps that support a main conclusion. A complex argument may have subarguments for premises, which themselves may rely on further subarguments. Subarguments can be chained and nested, and their acceptance depends on the acceptance of higher-level conclusions.

In rhetoric or critical thinking, subarguments provide evidence, reasoning, or examples backing a main thesis. They are organized to strengthen the overall line of reasoning and may themselves be divided into sub-subarguments or counterarguments that are addressed to reinforce the central claim.

Related notions include argument structure, valency, and the distinction between essential premises and peripheral asides. While the term subargument is most common in linguistic and argumentative analysis, it also serves as a useful descriptor for the hierarchical organization of reasoning within a broader claim.