{TALK 
        {"April 2}
        {"Recursive Statistics on Words}
        {"Jennifer Galovich}
        {"St. John's University}
        {"galovich@math.mit.edu}
        {"A general machine for constructing a large class 
of statistics on words will be desribed.  These statistics, which have a certain recursive
structure, are called {\it splittable}.  The classical Mahonian statistics
major index (maj) and inversion number (inv) are examples, as are more
modern Mahonian statistics such as the "Z" statistic of Zeilberger and
Bressoud, Denert's "den" and Rawlings' interpolating statistic, "r-maj".

I will explain how, and in what sense, the entire class of splittable
Mahonian statistics is generated by the single statistic "inv".  I will
also describe other non-Mahonian statistics which have a similar recursive
structure and conclude with some remarks about the extension of these
ideas to other combinatorial objects.
}
}