Overlay
Definition
An overlay is a declared representational layer placed over Tier 1 structure for explanation, visualization, comparison, or translation.
An overlay may help readers interpret LMR, but it does not govern the codex.
Overlay language must remain subordinate to the foundational grammar.
Tier Placement
Primary tier: Tier 2
Role: Representational support
Overlay belongs to the representational layer of LMR. It is useful only when explicitly declared and properly separated from Tier 1.
Source
Primary source: Supplements, diagrams, interpretive notes, and declared explanatory material
Authority level: Supplemental
Overlays may support the paper sequence, but they do not replace it.
Function in LMR
Overlay provides a controlled way to use familiar representations without confusing them with foundational structure.
It functions in:
- visualization
- teaching
- comparison
- bridge language
- diagram explanation
- reader orientation
Overlay allows LMR to communicate with existing concepts without absorbing their assumptions into Tier 1.
Allowed Use
Overlay may be used to clarify or visualize Tier 1 structure when explicitly declared.
It may also be used to compare LMR structures with familiar mathematical or physical forms.
Prohibited Misuse
Overlay must not be treated as:
- foundational authority
- a new primitive
- a dynamical mechanism
- a force or field claim
- a modification of Arc 1
- a substitute for paper definitions
An overlay must not become the thing it was introduced to explain.