Context definitions

MINSE is only a general syntax specification, and allows for a variety of semantic meanings to be given to the compounds used in expressions. The collection of mappings from compound names to meanings, together with the ordered list of operators (with their short forms and associativity types) constitutes a context definition. A context definition suffices to completely define the meaning of any MINSE expression within that context.

The common context contains concepts and symbols that apply generally, and so are part of all the other contexts.

On top of the common context is added a context appropriate to the application. For now, work has only been done on the mathematics context, but some other possibilities are listed here as well.

• basic mathematics context
• chemistry context (e.g. operators for putting together elements into compounds, reactions, equilibria, specifying states of matter, precipitation, gas given off, units and operators for concentration and partial pressure, etc.)
• algorithm context (e.g. the structure of an algorithm. As an ultimate goal, the ability to "render" it into one of a number of programming languages.)
• linguistics context (e.g. gloss, sentence structure, multiple-language representation, etc. for detailed discussion of translations. For examples of application and necessary levels of detail, see some of my previous work on Video Girl Ai.)
• physics context (e.g. units, possibly a different rendering of vectors, etc.)
• economics context (e.g. a different set of operators for compound interest, annuities, common symbols for quantities, etc. This is where text would come in especially handy.)