About Ubiquitongue
The Problem
Mathematical notation is supposed to be a universal language, but in practice, the same symbols can mean entirely different things across different fields, papers, and contexts. The symbol λ might represent wavelength in physics, eigenvalues in linear algebra, or function abstraction in computer science.
This ambiguity creates confusion, slows down research, and as the tagline suggests, could be "the leading cause of murder in researchers" when they discover their carefully crafted proof uses notation that means something completely different in another context.
Our Solution
Ubiquitongue is a bidirectional index that connects mathematical notations with their semantic meanings. We provide:
- Syntax → Semantics: Look up what a symbol means in different contexts
- Semantics → Syntax: Find the right notation for your mathematical concept
- Context awareness: See how the same notation is used differently across papers
- Smart search: Find notations using natural language or mathematical syntax
Core Principles
Unified Notation Model
We don't separate syntax from semantics. A notation is a complete entity that encompasses both its visual representation and its meaning.
Academic Rigor
Every notation is backed by citations from academic papers, showing exactly how it's used in practice.
Open and Collaborative
Ubiquitongue is open source and welcomes contributions from the research community to expand and improve our notation index.
Contributing
This project is open source and we welcome contributions! Whether you want to add new notations, correct existing ones, or improve the platform itself, your help is appreciated.