Must use double indirection
<!ENTITY % mathml-colon ''>
<!ENTITY % mathml-prefix ''>
<!ENTITY % mathml-exp '%mathml-prefix;%mathml-colon;exp' >
<!ENTITY % mathml-abs '%mathml-prefix;%mathml-colon;abs' >
<!ENTITY % mathml-arg '%mathml-prefix;%mathml-colon;arg' >
<!ENTITY % mathml-real '%mathml-prefix;%mathml-colon;real' >
<!ENTITY % mathml-imaginary '%mathml-prefix;%mathml-colon;imaginary' >
<!ELEMENT %mathml-real; (%mathml-exp | %mathml-abs)*>
Only works in external DTD subset