Controlled grammar 1970-01-01
Controlled grammar, often referred to as "controlled language," is a systematic approach to writing that restricts vocabulary and sentence structure to improve clarity and comprehension, especially for non-native speakers or those with limited language proficiency. Controlled grammar is commonly used in technical documentation, user manuals, and other communication contexts where precise understanding is crucial. Key features of controlled grammar include: 1. **Limited Vocabulary**: A predefined set of words and terms is used to avoid ambiguity.
Critical exponent of a word 1970-01-01
In the context of formal languages and automata theory, the term "critical exponent" of a word refers to a specific property related to the repetitions of substrings within that word. More formally, for a finite word \( w \), the critical exponent \( e(w) \) is defined as the smallest integer \( n \) such that the word can be represented as the concatenation of \( n \) or more identical blocks. For example, consider the word \( w = aabb \).
Cross-serial dependencies 1970-01-01
Cross-serial dependencies refer to a specific type of grammatical structure found in some languages, where multiple crossing dependencies occur between elements in a sentence, typically involving subjects, verbs, and objects. This structure is particularly notable because it challenges the linear arrangement of elements, creating a situation where elements can transgress traditional hierarchical relationships. A classic example of cross-serial dependencies can be found in Swiss German involving sentences where multiple verbs govern their respective subjects or objects that are interleaved.
Cyclic language 1970-01-01
Cyclic languages are a class of formal languages that can be defined by cyclic patterns or structures. In theoretical computer science, cyclic languages are often studied within the context of automata theory, grammars, and formal language studies. A cyclic language can be thought of as a language that consists of words that exhibit a cyclic property. This means that if a word is in the language, all of its cyclic rotations (i.e.
Definite clause grammar 1970-01-01
Definite Clause Grammar (DCG) is a formalism used in computational linguistics and programming languages to describe the syntax of a language. It is particularly associated with Prolog, a logic programming language, but can also be used in other contexts. Here are some key points about DCGs: 1. **Syntax and Semantics**: DCGs provide a way to define grammars in a manner that is both readable and expressive.
Dershowitz–Manna ordering 1970-01-01
Dershowitz–Manna ordering is a concept from the field of computer science, particularly in the area of term rewriting systems and automated theorem proving. It is a specific way of defining a lexicographic ordering on terms that can be used to analyze and compare the complexity of problems in rewriting systems. In more detail, Dershowitz–Manna ordering is an extension of the standard lexicographic ordering to a setting where terms may consist of variables and function symbols.
Descriptional Complexity of Formal Systems 1970-01-01
Descriptional complexity in the context of formal systems refers to the study of the resources needed to describe, represent, or generate certain languages or computational structures using a formal system. This can include various aspects such as the size of the formal representation (e.g., the length of a grammar, the number of states in an automaton, etc.) and the efficiency of the representation (how concise or clear it is).
Descriptive interpretation 1970-01-01
Descriptive interpretation refers to a method of understanding and explaining phenomena, texts, or data by focusing on describing their characteristics, features, and contexts without making evaluative judgments or drawing conclusions beyond what is explicitly presented. It emphasizes a thorough and detailed portrayal of subject matter as it exists in its own right. In academic disciplines such as social sciences, literature, and humanities, descriptive interpretation involves: 1. **Observation**: Collecting data or information about a subject.
Deterministic context-free grammar 1970-01-01
A Deterministic Context-Free Grammar (DCFG) is a type of context-free grammar that can be processed by a deterministic pushdown automaton (PDA). This means that for a given input string, the automaton can determine its transitions without making any choices — it cannot have multiple possible moves at any point based on the same input symbol.
Deterministic context-free language 1970-01-01
A **Deterministic Context-Free Language (DCFL)** is a type of formal language that can be recognized by a deterministic pushdown automaton (DPDA). These languages are a strict subset of context-free languages and are characterized by the following features: 1. **Deterministic Parsing**: In a DPDA, for every state and input symbol (including the top of the stack), there is at most one action that can be taken.
Discontinuous-constituent phrase structure grammar 1970-01-01
Discontinuous-constituent phrase structure grammar (DC-PSG) is a type of grammar framework that accommodates non-contiguous constituents in the structure of sentences. In traditional phrase structure grammars, constituents are expected to be contiguous, meaning that the elements making up a phrase appear in a continuous stretch of text. However, natural language often presents constructions where constituents are separated by other elements, making it challenging to represent these structures using standard contiguous grammar models.
Dyck language 1970-01-01
The Dyck language is a formal language that consists of well-formed strings of balanced parentheses or other types of brackets. It is named after the mathematician Walther von Dyck, who contributed to the study of algebraic structures. The Dyck language is often used in the context of combinatorial mathematics and computer science, particularly in the analysis of syntax in programming languages where such balanced structures are crucial.
ECLR-attributed grammar 1970-01-01
ECLR-attributed grammar is a type of formal grammar used in the field of computer science, particularly in programming language design and compiler construction. It combines concepts from context-free grammars with attributes that allow for semantic analysis of the strings generated by the grammar. ECLR itself stands for "Extended Context-Free Language with Attribute Grammars." These grammars extend the capabilities of traditional context-free grammars by incorporating attributes that can be associated with grammar symbols.
Emptiness problem 1970-01-01
The "emptiness problem" is a concept that can refer to various contexts, but it typically arises in mathematical fields, particularly in computer science and computational geometry. Here are two common interpretations: 1. **Formal Language and Automata Theory**: In the context of formal languages, the emptiness problem refers to the question of determining whether a given language is empty, i.e., whether there are any strings that belong to that language.
Empty string 1970-01-01
An empty string is a string data type that contains no characters. In programming and computer science, it is often represented by a pair of double quotes with nothing in between (`""`) or single quotes (`''`). The length of an empty string is zero, meaning it has no content. Empty strings are commonly used in various contexts, such as: 1. **Initialization**: Setting a variable to an empty string to indicate that it is not yet assigned any meaningful value.
Equivalence (formal languages) 1970-01-01
In the context of formal languages and automata theory, equivalence refers to the idea that two formal languages or two automata represent the same set of strings or accept the same language. Here are some common contexts in which equivalence is used in formal languages: 1. **Language Equivalence**: Two formal languages \( L_1 \) and \( L_2 \) are considered equivalent if they contain exactly the same strings.
Equivalence problem 1970-01-01
The equivalence problem typically refers to a question in formal language theory and automata theory where one aims to determine whether two given formal representations (such as languages, automata, or grammars) define the same language. In other words, it asks whether two systems can produce or recognize the same set of strings. ### Contexts of the Equivalence Problem: 1. **Finite Automata**: Given two finite automata, the problem is to determine if they accept the same language.
Extended Backus–Naur form 1970-01-01
Extended Backus–Naur Form (EBNF) is a notation that is used to describe the syntax of programming languages, data formats, and other formal grammars. It is an extension of the original Backus–Naur Form (BNF), which provides a more concise and expressive way to specify grammars. EBNF incorporates several features that make it more powerful and easier to read compared to standard BNF.
Extended affix grammar 1970-01-01
Extended Affix Grammar (EAG) is a formalism used in computational linguistics and syntax to describe the structure of languages, particularly in the context of natural language processing. It builds upon traditional context-free grammars but includes additional mechanisms to capture more complex syntactic phenomena.
Formal grammar 1970-01-01
Formal grammar is a set of rules and structures that define the syntax of a language. It provides a formal way to describe how sentences or expressions in a language can be constructed. Formal grammars are widely used in computer science, linguistics, and artificial intelligence to define programming languages, natural languages, and various systems of communication.