[W/K] :: operational semantics

  operational semantics
       
           A set of rules specifying how the state of an actual
          or hypothetical computer changes while executing a program.
          The overall state is typically divided into a number of
          components, e.g. stack, heap, registers etc.  Each rule
          specifies certain preconditions on the contents of some
          components and their new contents after the application of the
          rule.
       
          It is similar in spirit to the notion of a Turing machine,
          in which actions are precisely described in a mathematical
          way.
       
          Compuare axiomatic semantics, denotational semantics.
       
          (1996-08-21)