notation (n.)

A term used in LINGUISTICS and PHONETICS to refer to any system of GRAPHIC representation of speech (as in a ‘PHONEMIC notation’, where the term TRANSCRIPTION is widely used). Specifically, it refers to the set of symbols which represent a mode of linguistic analysis, as in the ‘PHRASE-STRUCTURE notation’ in GENERATIVE GRAMMAR. An analytic convention, in this sense, which is introduced into an analysis to facilitate the formulation of a statement, such as a RULE, is often called a notational device, e.g. the use of ( ) to indicate OPTIONALITY in generative syntax.