'Return a list of transition names and a transition mapping.
Parameter `name_list`: a list, where each entry is either a transition
name string, or a 1- or 2-tuple (transition name, optional next state
name).'

def make_transitions(self, name_list):

    stringtype = type('')
    names = []
    transitions = {}
    for namestate in name_list:
        if (type(namestate) is stringtype):
            transitions[namestate] = self.make_transition(namestate)
            names.append(namestate)
        else:
            transitions[namestate[0]] = self.make_transition(*namestate)
            names.append(namestate[0])
    return (names, transitions)
