diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4c5469
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+# JSONPath axiomatic semantics
+
+** WORK IN PROGRESS **
+
+## sequences of JSON values
+
+A JSONPath is modelled as mapping one sequence of JSON values to another sequence of JSON values.
+The `<>` notation is used for sequences, to try to distinguish these from JSON arrays.
+
+Empty sequence: `<>`.
+
+Concatenation: `<a, b> = <a> ^ <b>`.
+
+So, for example, the sequence `<a, b, c>` is equivalent to the concatenation of three single item
+sequences `<a> ^ <b> ^ <c>`.
+
+## sequence semantics
+A selector `s` takes a sequence of values and applies to each one separately.
+The results are then concatenated.
+
+```
+<> s = <>
+(x^y)s = (x s)^(y s)
+```
+
+## JSON object construction
+
+If `m` and `n` are JSON objects with no keys in common, then `m ∪ n` is the JSON object containing
+all the mappings of `m` and `n` (but no others).
+
+## compound path semantics
+
+If JSONPath `p` is selector `s` followed by JSONPath `t`, then for all JSON values `v`:
+```
+<v>p = (<v>s)t
+```
+
+## root selector semantics
+`$` is effectively a no-op. If `t` is a JSONPath (without a leading `$`), then:
+```
+<v>$t = <v>t
+```
+Question: do we need to use something like quasi quotes to clarify the above?
+
+## selectors
+
+The following sections describe primitive selectors which can be strung together to form a JSONPath.
+### dot child
+If `o` is a JSON object which does not have key `k`, then:
+```
+<o>.k = <>
+```
+and:
+```
+<o ∪ {k:v}>.k = <v>
+```
+
+### union
+```
+<a>[u, v] = (<a>[u]) ^ (<a>[v])
+```
+
+### bracket child
+If `o` is a JSON object which does not have key `k` (for certain forms of k...), then:
+```
+<o>[k] = <>
+```
+and:
+```
+<o ∪ {k:v}>[k] = <v>
+```
+
+### array slice
+If `a` is an array, then:
+```
+... details! ...
+```
+
+If `a` is not an array and `sl` is a slice expression, then:
+```
+<a>[sl] = <>
+```
+
+### recursive descent
+If `z` is a scalar:
+```
+<z>.. = <z>
+```
+If `o` is an empty object:
+```
+<o>.. = <>
+```
+
+If `o` is a JSON object which does not have key `k`, then:
+If `o` is an object comprised of `k:v` and an object p:
+```
+<o ∪ {k:v}>.. = (<v>)^(<v>..)^(<o>..)
+```
+Note: since an object can be deconstructed to the form `o ∪ {k:v}` for arbitrary key `k` in
+the original object, the ordering of the result is only partially defined.
+
+If `a` is an empty array:
+```
+<a>.. = <>
+```
+If `h` is a JSON value and `t` is a JSON array:
+```
+(<h>^t).. = (<h>)^(<h>..)^(t..)
+```
\ No newline at end of file