A grammar for mapping a first grouping of XML data into a second grouping of XML data and a method for accomplishing same to incorporate the first grouping into the second grouping. The grammar includes a first rule for computing a first child element attribute and a second rule for computing a second parent element attribute. The first rule and second rule vary according to a production of an element type of the first grouping. The element types include PCDATA, disjunctive, conjunctive and Kleene star, each having a unique rule set for defining inherited and synthesized attributes of the parent and child elements. The method includes the step of executing a mapping of a first grouping having at least one parent element and a set of corresponding child elements into a second grouping in accordance with the grammar rules based on the production of the element type.