Modern? 1990 Erlang is presented at ISS'90, which results in several new users, e.g Bellcore Python was conceived in the late 1980s[1] and its implementation

Modern? 1990 Erlang is presented at ISS'90, which results in several new users, e.g Bellcore Python was conceived in the late 1980s[1] and its implementation was started in December 1989 Both (and pretty much all languages other than the first ones) borrow heavily from languages that came before them. You deem that syntax "weird" only because you're experience is with other families of languages. If we all grew up writing Prolog, we'd think the algol C-like languages looked weird. History of Computing should be a required course for CS majors.