Explanation
Recursion occurs when a rule defines or generates a structure by invoking the same rule or substructures built in that way. In mise en abyme, a narrative may contain another narrative that permits the same embedding again. A single self-reference does not establish this structure. Nor does a recursive rule require an actually infinite text: each realisation may stop after a few steps. A model's capacity for further application differs from human processing limits. This entry therefore avoids treating repetition, self-similarity and recursion as interchangeable labels.
Movement of thought
1. Formulate the structural rule. 2. Identify the recursive dependency. 3. Specify a base case or stopping point. 4. Examine a finite realisation. 5. Separate formal possibility from processing.
Scientific use case
Formal narrative analysis can examine embedding depth separately from readers' orientation.
Example
A narrative rule permits a character to tell a story in which another character tells a story. The actual text may stop after two embeddings.
Counterexample
Repeating one sentence three times does not by itself establish recursive embedding.
Distinction
Distinguish recursion from self-reference alone, actual infinity, mere repetition and every instance of mise en abyme.
Effect on thought and perception
Recursion connects a finite rule description with potentially extendible structures.
Resonance
A room can contain a door to another room whose design reopens the same possibility.
Provenance
Parallel corpus 98f0950771ae4662f291d2f15f5c51b6797f3c20ba458a68615cdb177002ea18; case-bounded source review accepted; human specialist review not claimed.
Cite this entry
Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Recursion“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-NAV-G04-046. ATLAS 259, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-NAV-G04-046The address remains stable; editorial content may evolve. Editorial reading state: 2026-10-15. Include your access date for precise references.