Notation query

To: types@uk.ac.glasgow.dcs
Subject: Notation query
From: jr hindley <majrh@uk.ac.swan.pyr>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 10:09:31 GMT
Approved: types@dcs.gla.ac.uk



>From Roger Hindley about notation for assignments of types to
variables.

Thanks very much to the 15 or so people who replied on this.

"CONTEXT" was favoured by the majority. But this word has at
least 2 other meanings, one in syntax
  (a term with a "hole" in it)
and one in semantics
  (a mapping that interprets variables as members of a given
   \-model)
so I am very reluctant to use it.  Perhaps
     "TYPE-CONTEXT"?

"TYPE ASSIGNMENT(s)" was used by some. But I intend to use this
phrase anyway to denote any statement of form X:tau, whether X is
a constant, variable or composite term.

"(Set of) TYPE ASSUMPTIONS" was also suggested and seems a
possibility.

"ENVIRONMENT" or "TYPING ENVIRONMENT" were suggested by several,
and although "environment" is also used in semantics
there seem to be less double meanings here than with "Context".

"SIGNATURE" is an interesting possibility.

"TYPOTHESIS" was suggested by Carl Woolf, a student of Mitch Wand.
I think this is brilliant!  But...

Still worrying...