The type–token distinction is the difference between a class (type) of objects and the individual instances (tokens) of that class. Since each type may be instantiated 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, two word tokens of the type is, and three word tokens of the type rose. The distinction is important in disciplines such as logic, linguistics, metalogic, typography, and computer programming.
Overview
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 this abstract concept is a type, whereas in the sentence "the bicycle is in the garage", it represents a particular object and this particular object is 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]
Typography
In typography, the type–token distinction is used to determine the presence of a text printed by movable type:
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
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. 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.
See also
- Class (philosophy) – Philosophical term denoting a group of things derived from extensional or intensional definition
- Formalism (philosophy) – Concept of focusing on form over concept
- Haecceity – Term from medieval scholastic philosophy
- Hypernymy and hyponymy – Semantic relations involving the type-of property
- Identity (philosophy) – Relation each thing bears to itself alone
- Is-a – Subsumption relationship between abstractions
- Map–territory relation – Relationship between an object and a representation of that object
- Mental model – Mental representation of the external world
- Problem of universals § Peirce
- Platonic ideal – Philosophical theory attributed to Plato
- Use-mention distinction – Difference between using a word and mentioning it
- Type theory – Concept in mathematical logic
- Type physicalism – Theory in the philosophy of mind
References
- Brekle, Herbert E.: Die Prüfeninger Weiheinschrift von 1119. Eine paläographisch-typographische Untersuchung, Scriptorium Verlag für 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. & Richards, I. A. (1923). The meaning of meaning. London: Kegan Paul.
Sources
- 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
- Linda Wetzel. "Types and Tokens". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
The type token distinction is the difference between a class type of objects and the individual instances tokens of that class Since each type may be instantiated 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 two word tokens of the type is and three word tokens of the type rose 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 OverviewThe 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 this abstract concept is a type whereas in the sentence the bicycle is in the garage it represents a particular object and this particular object is 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 TypographyIn typography the type token distinction is used to determine the presence of a text printed by movable type 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 PeirceThe 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 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 See alsoClass philosophy Philosophical term denoting a group of things derived from extensional or intensional definition Formalism philosophy Concept of focusing on form over concept Haecceity Term from medieval scholastic philosophy Hypernymy and hyponymy Semantic relations involving the type of property Identity philosophy Relation each thing bears to itself alone Is a Subsumption relationship between abstractions Map territory relation Relationship between an object and a representation of that object Mental model Mental representation of the external world Problem of universals Peirce Platonic ideal Philosophical theory attributed to PlatoPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Use mention distinction Difference between using a word and mentioning itPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Type theory Concept in mathematical logic Type physicalism Theory in the philosophy of mindReferencesBrekle 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 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 linksLinda Wetzel Types and Tokens In Zalta Edward N ed Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
