A local-global principle for linear dependence of noncommutative polynomials

Abstract: A set of polynomials in noncommuting variables is called locally linearly dependent if their evaluations at tuples of matrices are always linearly dependent. By a theorem of Camino, Helton, Skelton and Ye, a finite locally linearly dependent set of polynomials is linearly dependent. In this short note an alternative proof based on the theory of polynomial identities is given. The method of the proof yields generalizations to directional local linear dependence and evaluations in general algebras over fields of arbitrary characteristic. A main feature of the proof is that it makes it possible to deduce bounds on the size of the matrices where the (directional) local linear dependence needs to be tested in order to establish linear dependence.