The language itself should map to the mental model. It should be an obvious mapping. You learn the language you gain the mental model. With css, you learn the l

The language itself should map to the mental model. It should be an obvious mapping. You learn the language you gain the mental model. With css, you learn the language the mental model does not follow. Many times the model that the language promotes is not what the developer needs so the developer creates patterns to deal with inefficiencies. This is a flaw. Sql abstracts the underlying model of procedural algorithms into a one line declarative expression. The language is designed to hide the model deliberately. However due to the requirement of optimizing queries one must optimize the procedural algorithms while working with an API that deliberately hides it. Thus in order to know which permutation of a sql expression maps to what permutation of procedural algorithm you must memorize arbitrary mappings or hacks. This is a huge design flaw. Your premiere sql experts are experts in using hacks to get around the flaws of SQL.