Definition

1. Adjective: Of or relating to linguistic phenomena, relationships, or dependencies that occur or are analyzed across the boundaries of individual sentences. It describes elements that connect or influence meaning beyond a single sentence.

Usage

The term "cross-sentential" is primarily used in formal linguistic analysis to describe connections that span multiple sentences. * It is used to modify nouns like "reference," "cohesion," "relationship," "dependency," or "phenomenon." * It is often contrasted with "intra-sentential," which describes relationships within a single sentence.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • Pronoun resolution can be a cross-sentential task, requiring the reader to look back to a previous sentence.
  • The study focused on cross-sentential coherence markers, such as "however" and "therefore."
  • Analyzing cross-sentential relationships is key to understanding discourse structure.

Advanced Usage

• Cross-sentential anaphora: A linguistic phenomenon where a word (like a pronoun) refers back to an antecedent in a different sentence.
  • "Amy finished her book. She then went for a walk." (The pronoun "She" in the second sentence refers to "Amy" in the first—this is cross-sentential anaphora.)
• Cross-sentential ellipsis: The omission of words that are understood from the context of a preceding sentence.
  • "Who wants coffee?" "I do __." (The omitted verb phrase "want coffee" is understood from the first sentence.)

Variants and Related Words

• Inter-sentential (adjective): Often used synonymously with "cross-sentential" to describe relationships between sentences.
• Discourse (noun): The broader structure of connected sentences or utterances, within which cross-sentential relationships operate.
• Cohesion (noun): The grammatical and lexical linking within a text or sentence that holds it together, which can be cross-sentential.

Synonyms

• Inter-sentential
• Trans-sentential
• Supra-sentential

Antonyms

• Intra-sentential (within a single sentence)
• Clause-level (within a clause)

Adjective

1. of or relating to relations between sentences