The ELAN system provides an environment for specifying and prototyping deduction systems in a language based on rewrite rules controlled by strategies.
 
 

It offers a natural and simple logical framework for the combination of the computation and deduction paradigms as it is backed up by the concepts of rewriting calculus and rewriting logic.  
 

It permits to support the design of theorem provers, logic programming languages, constraint solvers and decision procedures and to offer a modular framework for studying their combination.

elan n. 1. Enthusiastic vigor and liveness. 2. Style; flair. [Fr < OFr. eslan, rush < eslancer, to throw out: es-, out (< Lat. ex-) + lancer, to throw (< LLat. lanceare, to throw a lance < Lat. lancea, lance).]

The American Heritage Dictionary

1. ELAN. n.m. (vers 1420 selon Bloch ; de élancer).

1 Mouvement pour s'élancer. Calculer son élan (Cf. Calculer, cit. 7). . . .
2 Par anal. Mouvement par lequel la voix reprend, s'élance. . . .
3 Fig. Mouvement ardent, subit qu'un vif sentiment inspire. V. Mouvement; ardent, impulsion, poussée. Brusque élan. Elan impétueux. Elans de jeunesse, de passion. . . .
2. ELAN. n.m. (XVII e s.; hellent au XV e s., ellend au XVI e ; haut allem. elend, du baltique elnis). Mammifère artiodactyle (Cervidés), des pays du Nord. Elan du Canada. V. Orignal.

LE ROBERT, extraits.