# Why do we use $\Gamma$ to denote a TM's tape alphabet?

In many formal definitions of Turing machines, the Greek letter $\Gamma$ is used to denote the tape alphabet of the TM.

What is the origin of using $\Gamma$ for this? I'm having a hard time imagining what this might stand for.

• As far as I am aware, the earliest use of Γ representing a symbol alphabet is with regard to PDAs (stack alphabet). See Ginsburg & Greibach, 1966, Deterministic Context Free Languages. My guess is that it may have its origins in Chomsky & Schutzenberger, 1963, Algebraic Theory of Context Free Languages (dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0049-237X(08)72023-8) and that it made its way into usage for definitions of TMs from there. Why Γ and not, say T? I don't know, and alas, I don't have the Chomsky & Schutzenberger handy. I'd check there. – PartialOrder Nov 25 '16 at 21:45

Following up on @PartialOrder's comment, while $$\Gamma$$ is not used in Chomsky & Schutzenberger or in Chomsky's 1962/1963 papers on PDAs, it is used in Ginsburg and Greibach 1966 as follows:
A pushdown automaton (abbreviated pda) is a 7-tuple $$M=(K,\Sigma,\Gamma, \delta, Z_0, q_0, F)$$ where [...]
Here $$K$$ is the set of states and $$q_0$$ is the start state. $$\Gamma$$ is the finite nonempty set of auxiliary symbols. $$F$$ is the set of final states. $$\Sigma$$ is the finite nonempty set of inputs. Etc.
Nowadays we would call the set of states $$Q$$ if the start state is called $$q_0$$. I think this just indicates that not too much consistency and reason was required for these letter choices.
This is "original research" but I figure $$\Gamma$$ may just have been used since it is the first capital Greek letter (to indicate the same type as $$\Sigma$$) which looks distinctly greek (A and B looking Roman as well).