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A complexity when reading subject specific texts is that many words, symbols and images bear meanings that are dependent on context. The mixture of subject-specific and everyday language in texts has been described in other models. While working with an empirical study on mathematics subject language (Ribeck Nyström & Dyrvold 2019), we realised that the importance of contextual interpretation of representations was insufficiently described in the existing models. In a subject as mathematics many words and symbols can be used both inan everyday and a mathematical sense (e.g. factor, divide, ! and ’ ). This existence of homonymous and polysemous representations and potential demands they put on a reader is well known for vocabulary (e.g. Nation 2001; Nerlich 2003) but less explored for thesymbolic language.

Learning a new subject means that new, specialised words and often also symbols are introduced. Furthermore, and more challenging, many words and symbols already familiar from everyday language or from another subject, are used in new senses, something that needs to be learnt. To teach about specialised representational forms is a common practice in schools, but less focus is laid on the discernments needed regarding ambiguous representations (Gibbons 2013).

For example, an exclamation mark can in one case stand for factorial and in another case indicate an imperative, sometimes even in the same sentence. Thus, ambiguous representations need to be correctly interpreted in order for the communication to work. While analysing mathematics language, this ambiguity was something we had to handle, and, more specifically, we needed a structured description of the discernments someone interpreting subject language must make. We therefore developed the Interpretation model for representations, which highlights the complexity of different senses (e.g. technical andeveryday) in the same text and puts potential ambiguities in the foreground.

The model was developed in an iterative manner, initially based on existing knowledge about language (e.g. Schleppegrell 2004, Shanahan & Shanahan 2012, Hajer & Meestringa2014), and thereafter adjusted to also capture the interpretation process for different subject languages, using mathematics as our particular case. Furthermore, a categorisation scheme representing the model was designed to communicate exactly what was needed and only that. Our intention is that the interpretation model and corresponding scheme shall be useful in teaching, in discussions about language use and to highlight characteristics of a particular subject language.