The type–token distinction is the difference between naming a class (type) of objects and naming the individual instances (tokens) of that class. Since each type may be exemplified by multiple tokens, there are generally more tokens than types of an object. For example, the sentence "A rose is a rose is a rose" contains three word types: three word tokens of the type a, three word tokens of the type rose and two word tokens of the type is. The distinction is important in disciplines such as logic, linguistics, metalogic, typography and computer programming.
Although this flock is made of the same type of bird, each individual bird is a different token.
The type–token distinction separates types (abstract descriptive concepts) from tokens (objects that instantiate concepts). For example, in the sentence "the bicycle is becoming more popular" the word bicycle represents the abstract concept of bicycles and is thus a type, whereas in the sentence "the bicycle is in the garage", it represents a particular object and is therefore a token. Similarly, the word type 'letter' uses only four letter types: L, E, T and R. Nevertheless, it uses both E and T twice. One can say that the word type 'letter' has six letter tokens, with two tokens each of the letter types E and T. Whenever a word type is inscribed, the number of letter tokens created equals the number of letter occurrences in the word type.
Some logicians consider a word type to be the class of its tokens. Other logicians counter that the word type has a permanence and constancy not found in the class of its tokens. The type remains the same while the class of its tokens is continually gaining new members and losing old members.[citation needed]
The distinction in computer programming between classes and objects is related, though in this context, "class" sometimes refers to a set of objects (with class-level attribute or operations) rather than a description of an object in the set, as "type" would.[citation needed]
Typographyedit
In typography, the type–token distinction is used to determine the presence of a text printed by movable type:[1]
The defining criteria which a typographic print has to fulfill is that of the type identity of the various letter forms which make up the printed text. In other words: each letter form which appears in the text has to be shown as a particular instance ("token") of one and the same type which contains a reverse image of the printed letter.
Charles Sanders Peirceedit
The distinctions between using words as types or tokens were first made by American logician and philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce in 1906 using terminology that he established.[2] Peirce's type–token distinction applies to words, sentences, paragraphs and so on: to anything in a universe of discourse of character-string theory, or concatenation theory.
Peirce's original words are the following.
A common mode of estimating the amount of matter in a ... printed book is to count the number of words. There will ordinarily be about twenty 'thes' on a page, and, of course, they count as twenty words. In another sense of the word 'word,' however, there is but one word 'the' in the English language; and it is impossible that this word should lie visibly on a page, or be heard in any voice .... Such a ... Form, I propose to term a Type. A Single ... Object ... such as this or that word on a single line of a single page of a single copy of a book, I will venture to call a Token. .... In order that a Type may be used, it has to be embodied in a Token which shall be a sign of the Type, and thereby of the object the Type signifies.
— Peirce 1906, also Ogden and Richards, 1923, 280-1.[3]
^Brekle, Herbert E.: Die Prüfeninger Weiheinschrift von 1119. Eine paläographisch-typographische Untersuchung, Scriptorium Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, Regensburg 2005, ISBN3-937527-06-0, p. 23
^Charles Sanders Peirce, Prolegomena to an apology for pragmaticism, Monist, vol.16 (1906), pp. 492–546.
^Ogden, C. K. & Richards, I. A. (1923). The meaning of meaning. London: Kegan Paul.
Sourcesedit
Baggin J. and Fosl P. (2003) The Philosopher's Toolkit. Blackwell: 171-73. ISBN978-0-631-22874-5.
Peper F., Lee J., Adachi S., Isokawa T. (2004) Token-Based Computing on Nanometer Scales, Proceedings of the ToBaCo 2004 Workshop on Token Based Computing, Vol.1 pp. 1–18.
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The type token distinction is the difference between naming a class type of objects and naming the individual instances tokens of that class Since each type may be exemplified by multiple tokens there are generally more tokens than types of an object For example the sentence A rose is a rose is a rose contains three word types three word tokens of the type a three word tokens of the type rose and two word tokens of the type is The distinction is important in disciplines such as logic linguistics metalogic typography and computer programming source source source source source source Although this flock is made of the same type of bird each individual bird is a different token Contents 1 Overview 2 Typography 3 Charles Sanders Peirce 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Sources 6 External linksOverview editThe type token distinction separates types abstract descriptive concepts from tokens objects that instantiate concepts For example in the sentence the bicycle is becoming more popular the word bicycle represents the abstract concept of bicycles and is thus a type whereas in the sentence the bicycle is in the garage it represents a particular object and is therefore a token Similarly the word type letter uses only four letter types L E T and R Nevertheless it uses both E and T twice One can say that the word type letter has six letter tokens with two tokens each of the letter types E and T Whenever a word type is inscribed the number of letter tokens created equals the number of letter occurrences in the word type Some logicians consider a word type to be the class of its tokens Other logicians counter that the word type has a permanence and constancy not found in the class of its tokens The type remains the same while the class of its tokens is continually gaining new members and losing old members citation needed The distinction in computer programming between classes and objects is related though in this context class sometimes refers to a set of objects with class level attribute or operations rather than a description of an object in the set as type would citation needed Typography editIn typography the type token distinction is used to determine the presence of a text printed by movable type 1 The defining criteria which a typographic print has to fulfill is that of the type identity of the various letter forms which make up the printed text In other words each letter form which appears in the text has to be shown as a particular instance token of one and the same type which contains a reverse image of the printed letter Charles Sanders Peirce editThe distinctions between using words as types or tokens were first made by American logician and philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce in 1906 using terminology that he established 2 Peirce s type token distinction applies to words sentences paragraphs and so on to anything in a universe of discourse of character string theory or concatenation theory Peirce s original words are the following A common mode of estimating the amount of matter in a printed book is to count the number of words There will ordinarily be about twenty thes on a page and of course they count as twenty words In another sense of the word word however there is but one word the in the English language and it is impossible that this word should lie visibly on a page or be heard in any voice Such a Form I propose to term a Type A Single Object such as this or that word on a single line of a single page of a single copy of a book I will venture to call a Token In order that a Type may be used it has to be embodied in a Token which shall be a sign of the Type and thereby of the object the Type signifies Peirce 1906 also Ogden and Richards 1923 280 1 3 See also editClass philosophy Formalism philosophy Haecceity Is a Map territory relation Mental model Problem of universals Peirce Use mention distinction Type theory Type physicalismReferences edit Brekle Herbert E Die Prufeninger Weiheinschrift von 1119 Eine palaographisch typographische Untersuchung Scriptorium Verlag fur Kultur und Wissenschaft Regensburg 2005 ISBN 3 937527 06 0 p 23 Charles Sanders Peirce Prolegomena to an apology for pragmaticism Monist vol 16 1906 pp 492 546 Ogden C K amp Richards I A 1923 The meaning of meaning London Kegan Paul Sources edit Baggin J and Fosl P 2003 The Philosopher s Toolkit Blackwell 171 73 ISBN 978 0 631 22874 5 Peper F Lee J Adachi S Isokawa T 2004 Token Based Computing on Nanometer Scales Proceedings of the ToBaCo 2004 Workshop on Token Based Computing Vol 1 pp 1 18 External links editLinda Wetzel Types and Tokens In Zalta Edward N ed Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Type token distinction amp oldid 1183633639, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
