~ - Manner Modifier

ndl construct modifier

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Overview

The manner modifier (~) specifies how an action is performed. It adds qualitative detail to actions, constraining the LLM to narrate the action in a specific way.

Syntax

do(action) ~ manner

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
manner	Identifier	Yes	Adverb or adverbial phrase

Description

The ~ operator modifies the immediately preceding action, telling the LLM that the action was performed in a particular manner. It represents a constraint on the narration - the LLM must incorporate this manner into the output.

Think of ~ as meaning “in the manner of” or “approximately like” (hence the similarity to the mathematical approximation symbol ≈).

Basic Usage

Simple Manner

do(walk) ~ slowly

LLM Output Examples:

• “The character walks slowly.”
• “She moves at a deliberate, unhurried pace.”
• “He trudges forward slowly.”

Real Example: Physical Action with Tool

search("pile of wood", intention="find makeshift club") ~ "with your hands"

Actual LLM Output (Gemma 2 9B IT):

Your fingers sift through the rough-hewn logs, searching for something sturdy and manageable. You find it - a thick, gnarled branch, its ends still bearing the marks of the axe. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.

This example from veritasr’s testing shows how the manner ~ "with your hands" tells the LLM this is a manual search, resulting in tactile, physical narration.

Real Example: Failed Action

do($"you", "swing makeshift club against table's surface") ~ "with club"

Actual LLM Output (Gemma 2 9B IT):

You raise the gnarled branch, hefting it awkwardly in your hand. It's heavier than you anticipated, the rough bark digging into your palm. You bring it back over your head, aiming for the tabletop. But as you swing, your momentum falters. The branch veers off course, catching on the edge of the chair.

Even in failure scenarios, the manner modifier ~ "with club" provides the tool context that enables realistic failure narration.

Multiple Word Manner

do(speak) ~ with_confidence

LLM Output Examples:

• “She speaks with confidence.”
• “He delivers his words confidently.”
• “The character speaks in a self-assured tone.”

Common Manner Modifiers

Speed/Pace

~ slowly
~ quickly
~ rapidly
~ hastily
~ leisurely

Emotion/Attitude

~ angrily
~ happily
~ sadly
~ nervously
~ confidently
~ reluctantly

Physical Quality

~ carefully
~ clumsily
~ gracefully
~ forcefully
~ gently
~ roughly

Social Quality

~ politely
~ rudely
~ formally
~ casually
~ warmly
~ coldly
~ whisper
~ sarcastically
~ enthusiastically

Real Example: Social Interaction

talk("Mark", "John"^"Sue") -> convey("desire to explore dungeon", perspective="adventurous")

This example from veritasr shows how manner can apply to social interactions, specifying tone, volume, or style of communication.

Intensity

~ fiercely
~ mildly
~ intensely
~ half_heartedly
~ wholeheartedly

Stealth/Visibility

~ quietly
~ loudly
~ stealthily
~ openly
~ subtly

Advanced Usage

Combined with Properties

do(attack) ~ fiercely damage=15 weapon="sword"

LLM Output: “The warrior swings his sword fiercely, dealing 15 points of damage.”

Multiple Modifiers

Note: Only one manner per action (you can’t do something both slowly AND quickly):

do(speak) ~ nervously text="I'm sorry" emotion="fear"

LLM Output: “With clear nervousness and fear in her voice, she stammers, ‘I’m sorry.‘”

Manner with Intention

do(persuade) ~ eloquently intention="convince"

LLM Output: “He speaks eloquently, clearly attempting to convince his audience.”

Design Patterns

Action Characterization

Use manner to add personality:

# Timid character
do(enter) ~ hesitantly
 
# Bold character
do(enter) ~ confidently
 
# Sneaky character
do(enter) ~ stealthily

Combat Dynamics

do(attack) ~ desperately    # Losing fight
do(attack) ~ confidently    # Winning fight
do(defend) ~ frantically    # Overwhelmed

Social Nuance

do(agree) ~ reluctantly     # Forced agreement
do(agree) ~ enthusiastically # Genuine agreement

Emotional Arc

do(speak) ~ nervously ->
  wait(1s) ->
  do(speak) ~ more_confidently ->
  wait(1s) ->
  do(speak) ~ boldly

Anti-Patterns

❌ Contradictory Manner

do(walk) ~ quickly ~ slowly  # Can't be both!

❌ Manner Without Action

~ slowly  # What is being done slowly?

❌ Inappropriate Manner

Be semantically sensible:

do(die) ~ happily  # Unusual but technically valid
do(sleep) ~ loudly # Semantically questionable

❌ Over-Specification

Don’t duplicate information:

# Redundant
do(whisper) ~ quietly  # Whispering is already quiet
 
# Better
do(whisper)  # Let LLM interpret appropriately

Semantic Considerations

Manner vs. Properties

Use manner for how, properties for what:

# Manner: HOW it's done
do(speak) ~ nervously
 
# Property: WHAT is said
do(speak) text="Hello"
 
# Combined
do(speak) ~ nervously text="Hello"

Manner vs. Intention

# Manner: HOW you do it
do(threaten) ~ menacingly
 
# Intention: WHY you do it
do(threaten) intention="intimidate"
 
# Both provide context
do(threaten) ~ menacingly intention="intimidate"

Symbol Choice Rationale

Why ~?

From User-veritasr’s design discussions:

1. Visual similarity to approximation symbol (≈)
2. Short - single character
3. Rare in natural text - unlikely to conflict
4. Distinct from other operators
5. Suggests “in the manner of” or “approximately like”

Alternatives Considered

• @ - Too overloaded in programming
• : - Common in many syntaxes
• with - Too verbose
• in - English word, could conflict

Examples by Context

Combat

do(attack) ~ ferociously
do(dodge) ~ acrobatically
do(block) ~ desperately
do(strike) ~ precisely

Dialogue

do(speak) ~ sarcastically
do(ask) ~ innocently
do(respond) ~ defensively
do(interrupt) ~ rudely

Movement

do(run) ~ frantically
do(walk) ~ purposefully
do(sneak) ~ carefully
do(stride) ~ confidently

Magic/Special Abilities

do(cast_spell) ~ dramatically
do(channel_energy) ~ intensely
do(summon) ~ ceremoniously

Implementation

Generating Manner Modifiers

def add_manner(action_ndl: str, manner: str) -> str:
    """Add manner modifier to action."""
    return f"{action_ndl} ~ {manner}"
 
# Usage
base = "do(walk)"
with_manner = add_manner(base, "slowly")
# Result: "do(walk) ~ slowly"

Parsing Manner Modifiers

import re
 
def parse_manner(ndl: str) -> str | None:
    """Extract manner from NDL string."""
    match = re.search(r'~ (\w+)', ndl)
    return match.group(1) if match else None
 
# Usage
manner = parse_manner("do(walk) ~ slowly")
# Result: "slowly"

Multi-Word Manner

def format_manner(words: list[str]) -> str:
    """Format multi-word manner with underscores."""
    return "_".join(words).lower()
 
# Usage
manner = format_manner(["with", "determination"])
# Result: "with_determination"
 
ndl = f"do(fight) ~ {manner}"
# Result: "do(fight) ~ with_determination"

LLM Integration

In System Prompt

When you see "do(action) ~ manner", narrate the action being
performed in the specified manner. For example:
- "do(walk) ~ slowly" → "The character walks slowly"
- "do(attack) ~ fiercely" → "He attacks with fierce determination"

The manner MUST be reflected in your narration.

In Few-Shot Examples

NDL: do(speak) ~ nervously text="I didn't do it"
Output: "I didn't do it," she says nervously, voice trembling.

NDL: do(charge) ~ recklessly target="enemy"
Output: He charges recklessly toward the enemy, throwing caution aside.

Related Constructs

• do-action - The action being modified
• intention - Why action is performed (vs. how)
• properties - Additional attributes

Related Documentation

• 01-lexical-elements - Manner as a token type
• 02-grammar - Manner in the grammar
• 03-semantics - Meaning of manner modifiers

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From User-veritasr’s NDL design in the LLM World Engine Discord.