Ideas from deformation quantization are applied to deform the expression of
elements of an algebra. Extending these ideas to certain transcendental
elements implies that \frac{1}{i\h}uv in the Weyl algebra is naturally viewed
as an indeterminate living in a discrete set N+1/2 {\it or}
−(N+1/2) . This may yield a more mathematical understanding of
Dirac's positron theory