21 May
2020
21 May
'20
9:06 p.m.
On Tue, 19 May 2020, Rich Morin wrote:
On a vaguely-related note, for some years I've
been using the phrase
"algebraic syntax" to characterize languages such as Algol, C/C++,
Fortran, Java(Script), Ruby, etc. Contrary examples might include
Assembler, COBOL, Forth, Lisp, RPG, etc.
My benchmark is "Can it be described in BNF?" LISP, for example, would be
something like:
phrase: "(" phrase ")"
However, I can't find this usage in Wikipedia or
elsewhere in the
Intertubes. Am I simply confused? Is there a better term to use?
Inquiring gnomes need to mine...
You are confused because you are relying upon Wikipedia :-) Well, someone
had to say it, so it may as well be me; as I keep saying, it's only as
accurate as the last idiot who updated it.
-- Dave, a Wikipedia editor