a clause that is pragmatically asserted, typically in the context of identifying the pragmatically asserted clause in a complex sentence construction. Example: in Jerry played the guitar while Phil played the bass, the clause Jerry played the guitar is the main clause, whereas while Phil played the bass is a subordinate clause. Main clauses are generally matrix clauses, but matrix clauses need not be main clauses, and dependent clauses may be pragmatically asserted – i.e. function as main clauses. (Section 15.1.2)