Vocabulary discipline (語彙規律)

Distinctive usage · Authorship Strategy · also known as coin sparingly, anchor densely

The discipline governing when to coin a distinctive term and when to use existing vocabulary instead, introduced as the parametric-channel lever in ADR-0008 and defined in ADR-0010. A term is coined only when three conditions all hold — the concept is genuinely new at a join of existing concepts, a one-sentence definition in existing vocabulary is possible, and the namespace is uncontested — and every retained coinage is anchored densely: a glossary definition in existing vocabulary, upstream citations where prior art exists, knowledge-graph edges to existing concepts and references, and repeated work in the body. Everything else is said in existing vocabulary with the upstream source cited. Rationale: the costs of coinage (isolation, reader trust, maintenance) grow linearly with the number of terms, while the benefit depends on each term's edge density, so few densely-anchored terms dominate many isolated ones. The vocabulary-level enforcement of origin-claim scope discipline.

Named and defined by shimo4228 in Authorship Strategy ADR-0010 (introduced as the parametric-channel lever in ADR-0008); the phrase itself is existing vocabulary, so no coinage is claimed.

Canonical sources

FAQ

What is vocabulary discipline?

The rule governing coinage in the Authorship Strategy framework: coin a term only when the concept is genuinely new at a join of existing concepts, a one-sentence definition in existing vocabulary is possible, and the namespace is uncontested — then anchor every retained coinage densely with a glossary definition, upstream citations, knowledge-graph edges, and repeated use in the body.

Why coin sparingly?

The costs of coinage (isolation, reader trust, maintenance) grow linearly with the number of terms, while the benefit depends on each term's edge density — so few densely-anchored terms dominate many isolated ones.

Where is vocabulary discipline defined?

Authorship Strategy ADR-0010 (Vocabulary Discipline — Coin Sparingly, Anchor Densely), after ADR-0008 named it as the parametric-channel lever; the repository glossary carries the canonical definition.

Related terms

語彙規律(日本語)

いつ distinctive term を造語し、いつ既存語彙を使うかを統べる規律。ADR-0008 で parametric channel のレバーとして導入され、ADR-0010 で定義された。造語するのは 3 条件がすべて成立するときのみ —— 概念が既存概念の結合点に立つ genuine な新規物である、既存語彙だけで一文定義が書ける、namespace が競合していない —— そして採用したすべての造語を密に anchor する: 既存語彙での glossary 定義、prior art が存在する場合の上流 citation、既存概念と外部文献への knowledge-graph edge、本文中での反復使用。それ以外はすべて既存語彙で書き、上流の出典を cite する。Rationale: 造語のコスト (孤立・読者の信頼・維持) は語数に線形に増えるが、利益は各語の edge 密度に依存する。ゆえに密に anchor された少数の語が孤立した多数の語を支配する。Origin-claim scope discipline の語彙レベルでの執行。