In view of the fact that methods as mathematical as the one proposed here have not yet become accepted in linguistics, some apology is due for introducing this procedure. However, the advantage which may be gained in explicitness, and in comparability of morphologies, may offset the trouble of manipulating the symbols of this procedure. Furthermore, the proposed method does not involve new operations of analysis. It merely reduces to writing the techniques of substitution which every linguist uses as he works over his material. One works more efficiently when one thinks with pencil and paper.
- Harris (1946), a pag.161, n.1

The method described in this paper will require no elements other than morphemes and sequences of morphemes, and no operation other than substitution, repeated time and again.
- Harris (1946), a pag.161