totoward

Totoward is a neologism proposed in some theoretical discussions of language and action to denote a unit that encodes both the direction of an action toward a goal and the agent’s intention. The term appears to fuse the English particles to and toward, signaling an integrated sense of movement and purpose.

In these discussions, totoward can refer to (a) a linguistic construction that combines action and goal within a single form, (b) a cognitive state describing the alignment of intention with planned movement, or (c) a conceptual category used in modeling goal-directed behavior in artificial agents.

Because totoward is not part of established terminology, its precise definition varies among authors, and it remains contested. Usage examples are typically hypothetical, used to illustrate how form can encode purpose and trajectory simultaneously.

Critics argue that totoward risks conflating distinct phenomena such as intention, motor planning, and directional syntax, while proponents view it as a useful shorthand for cross-domain patterns.

See also: toward, goal-directed action, neologism, portmanteau.