# Copy on write for the internal tables in this context.
	#
	# This class is optimized for the normal case where most
	# elements do not contain Namespace declarations.
	fun copy_tables do
		if prefix_table != null then
			var old_prefix_table = prefix_table.as(not null)
			prefix_table = new HashMap[String, String]
			prefix_table.add_all(old_prefix_table)
		else
			prefix_table = new HashMap[String, String]
		end
		element_name_table = new HashMap[String, Array[String]]
		attribute_name_table = new HashMap[String, Array[String]]
		declarations = new Array[String]
		decl_seen = true
	end