Having written several toy languages, I think that the process is supremely educational in ways that other efforts are not. In particular, it gives you an aware

Having written several toy languages, I think that the process is supremely educational in ways that other efforts are not. In particular, it gives you an awareness of how these things can go wrong so that you can see where your day job efforts can go wrong if extended too far in some direction. You always learn about distinctions that were never apparent before you got into the details. Without the freedom to make a mess of things, you live too cautious a life. It's worth digging in to some of these efforts even if they do wind up a mess. It's not because the mess will be meaningful. It's because you will understand better what was good and bad about what you did and how you got there.