Adjan's theorem and conjugacy in semigroups (Q688971)

\textit{S. I. Adyan} has shown that under certain circumstances the natural homomorphism from a semigroup into a group is injective [Defining relations and algorithmic problems in semigroups and groups, Tr. Mat. Inst. Steklova 85 (1967; Zbl 0204.01702)]. It is natural to ask whether under the conditions imposed by Adyan, conjugacy is both preserved and reflected by the natural homomorphism. We say that conjugacy is preserved by the natural homomorphism if the images of conjugate elements are conjugate and we say that conjugacy is reflected by the natural homomorphism if two elements are conjugate in the semigroup whenever their images in the group are conjugate. One problem is that there seems to be no standard definition for two elements in an arbitrary semigroup to be conjugate to one another. One definition has been given in \textit{J. Dauns} [Semigroup Forum 38, No. 3, 355-364 (1989; Zbl 0671.16002)]. Another definition is used by \textit{G. Lallement} [``Semigroups and combinatorial applications'' (Wiley 1979; Zbl 0421.20025)]. Consider a presentation \(P = \{X \mid r_ 1 = s_ 1\), \(r_ 2 = s_ 2,\dots\}\) where \(X\) is an alphabet and \(r_ j\) and \(s_ j\) are nonempty positive words in \(X\). From this presentation it is possible to construct two undirect graphs; the left graph of \(P\) and the right graph of \(P\). If the presentation \(P\) has the property that both the left graph and right graph are cycle free, then we say that \(P\) satisfies Adyan's condition (AC). The authors modify the definition of conjugacy used by Lallement so that the main result holds: if the presentation \(P\) satisfies (AC), then conjugacy is both reflected and preserved by the natural homomorphism.