formalism

English

Etymology

From formal +‎ -ism.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːməlɪz(ə)m/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹml̩ˌɪzm̩/

Noun

formalism (countable and uncountable, plural formalisms)

1. Strict adherence to a given form of conduct, practice etc.
2. (computing) One of several alternative computational paradigms for a given theory.
3. (literature) An approach to interpretation and/or evaluation focused on the (usually linguistic) structure of a literary work rather than on the contexts of its origin or reception.
4. (music) The tendency to elevate formal above expressive value in music, as in serialism.
5. (mathematics, physics) A particular mathematical or scientific theory or description of a given state or effect.
   • 2011, Brian Cox, Jeff Forshaw, The Quantum Universe, Allen Lane, published 2011, page 54:

     Heisenberg seems to have been motivated by his intense annoyance that Schrödinger's more intuitive version of quantum theory was more widely accepted than his own, even though both formalisms led to the same results.

6. (linguistics, computing, mathematics) A formal expression of a grammar; a formal grammar; a set of rules of syntax that, without reference to semantics, determine whether a sequence of symbols is a well-formed sentence in a given formal language.
   • 1986, S. J. L. van Eijndhoven, J. de Graaf, A Mathematical Introduction to Dirac's Formalism‎^[1], Elsevier (North-Holland), page ix:

     Dirac approaches quantum mechanics by means of a so-called symbolic method, the bracket formalism. Although this formalism has a mathematical flavour, in fact, it is based upon bold claims which lack mathematical foundation.

   • 1992, tuart M. Shieber, Constraint-based Grammar Formalisms, The MIT Press, page 51,

     It is this abstraction that justifies considering these methods as characterizing constraint-based formalisms in general, rather than an individual formalism.

7. (philosophy of mathematics) The ontological view of mathematics as a mere collection of string manipulation rules.

Derived terms

• canonical formalism
• path integral formalism

 

Related terms

• formalist

Translations

strict adherence to a given form of conduct, practice, etc.

• Belarusian: фармалі́зм m (farmalízm)
• Bulgarian: формали́зъм (bg) m (formalízǎm)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 形式主義／形式主义 (zh) (xíngshìzhǔyì)

• Czech: formalismus m
• Finnish: formalismi (fi)
• French: formalisme (fr) m
• Georgian: ფორმალიზმი (pormalizmi)
• German: Formalismus m
• Hungarian: formalizmus (hu)
• Italian: formalismo (it) m
• Japanese: 形式主義 (けいしきしゅぎ, keishikishugi)
• Kazakh: формализм (formalizm)
• Macedonian: формализам m (formalizam)
• Northern Sami: formalisma
• Polish: formalizm (pl) m
• Portuguese: formalismo (pt) m
• Romanian: formalism (ro) n
• Russian: формали́зм (ru) m (formalízm)
• Serbo-Croatian: формализам m, formalizam (sh) m
• Slovak: formalizmus m
• Spanish: formalismo (es) m
• Ukrainian: формалі́зм m (formalízm)

computing: paradigm

literature: structural approach to interpretation

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 形式主義／形式主义 (zh) (xíngshìzhǔyì)

• Kazakh: формализм (formalizm)
• Polish: formalizm (pl) m

music: tendency to elevate formal above expressive value

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 形式主義／形式主义 (zh) (xíngshìzhǔyì)

• Kazakh: формализм (formalizm)

mathematics, physics: a particular theory or description of a state of affairs

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 形式主義／形式主义 (zh) (xíngshìzhǔyì)

• Kazakh: формализм (formalizm)

formal grammar — see formal grammar

See also

• formulism

References

• “formalism”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “formalism”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Further reading

• Formal language on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French formalisme.

Noun

formalism n (uncountable)

1. formalism

Declension

declension of formalism (singular only)

	singular
n gender	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) formalism	formalismul
genitive/dative	(unui) formalism	formalismului
vocative	formalismule