L morphisms: Bounded delay and regularity of ambiguity

Abstract

We present characterization and decidability results concerning bounded delay of L codes. It is also shown that, for L morphisms (morphisms applied in the “L way”), the sets causing ambiguities are in most cases effectively regular. The results are closely linked with some fundamental issues (bounded delay, elementary morphisms, Defect Theorem) in the theory of codes and combinatorics of words in general.