Subword topology (Q1099638)

We introduce a topology on a language \(L\subset X^{\infty}\), called subword topology, which reflects certain interesting properties of subwords in a language. Well known topological concepts such as compactness, closure of a language and closed sets reflect certain characteristic properties of subwords. The concept of adherence of a language [\textit{M. Nivat}, Math. Cent. Tracts 109, 1-52 (1979; Zbl 0423.68012)] is generalized to that of subword adherence and comparison is made with other limiting processes. The study of closed sets throws further light on Ehrenfeucht's conjecture [\textit{C. Choffrat}, \textit{K. Culik} II, Lect. Notes Comput. Sci. 166, 326-338 (1984; Zbl 0551.68068)] on unavoidable sets and generalizes it.