Extensions of discrete classical orthogonal polynomials beyond the orthogonality

It is well-known that the family of Hahn polynomials {hnα,β(x;N)}n≥0 is orthogonal with respect to a certain weight function up to degree NN. In this paper we prove, by using the three-term recurrence relation which this family satisfies, that the Hahn polynomials can be characterized by a ΔΔ-Sobolev orthogonality for every nn and present a factorization for Hahn polynomials for a degree higher than NN.We also present analogous results for dual Hahn, Krawtchouk, and Racah polynomials and give the limit relations among them for all n∈N0n∈N0. Furthermore, in order to get these results for the Krawtchouk polynomials we will obtain a more general property of orthogonality for Meixner polynomials.