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Foundations of Stochastic Lexical Calculus: Semantic Descent and Random Dynamics on Probability Simplices

arXiv 2609.20207 ↗First posted 25 Jul 2026cs.CL math.CT math.PRcited by 0

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Abstract (arXiv)

Large language models produce prompt-dependent probabilities over words, whereas scientific systems require uncertainty over meaningful states that can be updated as evidence arrives. We develop an observable framework for determining when language-derived probabilities support such a sequential state representation. Theoretically, we define typed measurable transformations of contextual language, construct a minimal closed representation, and give necessary and sufficient conditions for semantic updates to exist uniquely. We bound irreducible nonclosure and accumulated error, and under average contraction prove existence, uniqueness and stability of an external random recursion on a probability simplex. These results define a stochastic lexical calculus without attributing an internal calculus to the language model. Empirically, frozen experiments test the observable implications. Raw prompt-conditioned probabilities fail the prespecified invariance gate; after prompt-specific calibration, a common three-state representation passes the stability gates and covers 28 of 30 untouched eight-step paths, or 0.933 at nominal level 0.90. Accordingly, language probabilities support a stochastic state only conditionally on verified closure, stability and coverage within a declared operating domain.

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References · 13

  1. 2022Language Models (Mostly) Know What They Knowcited by 1,856
  2. 2023Semantic Uncertainty: Linguistic Invariances for Uncertainty Estimation in Natural Language Generationcited by 819
  3. 2023Just Ask for Calibration: Strategies for Eliciting Calibrated Confidence Scores from Language Models Fine-Tuned with Human Feedbackcited by 812
  4. 2024Linguistic Calibration of Long-Form Generationscited by 60
  5. 2024Confidence Under the Hood: An Investigation into the Confidence-Probability Alignment in Large Language Modelscited by 34
  6. 2026Calibrating Semantic Uncertainty from Observable Language-Model Probabilitiescited by 4
  7. 2021Language Invariant Properties in Natural Language Processingcited by 3
  8. 2013Generalizing determinization from automata to coalgebrascited by 2
  9. 2017Coalgebraic Behavioral Metricscited by 2
  10. 2018Up-To Techniques for Behavioural Metrics via Fibrationscited by 2
  11. 2019Probability, valuations, hyperspace: Three monads on Top and the support as a morphismcited by 2
  12. 2022Measuring Fine-Grained Semantic Equivalence with Abstract Meaning Representationcited by 2
1 more
  1. 2026Probabilistic Attribution For Large Language Modelscited by 1

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