If I were designing a new language and where dead-set on the =- form I would make it so: n =- 5 // n equals n - 5 n = -5 // n equals -5 n=-5 //Il

If I were designing a new language and where dead-set on the =- form I would make it so: n =- 5 // n equals n - 5 n = -5 // n equals -5 n=-5 //Illegal This can be done, it just requires getting the lexer right.