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The programming language is the language used to give instructions to a machine. For me, it is very similar to a natural language. What do you mean by "programm

• Osmium 14y ago
  For me, a programming language is closer to mathematical notation than it is to a natural language that people use to communicate with each other. It's rigorous, logical, and typically the product of one entity rather than a natural language which is the product of everyone who uses it. To put it another way, since the quote mentioned this, I don't think it's fair to compare a dictionary for a natural language to a dictionary for a computer language, because they're quite different things. One records and documents a process already happening [language evolution], while another is the process itself [language creation]. Just a personal opinion, that's all -- I just think analogies can be stretched too far, and by calling computer languages "languages" I think it's backed the discourse about them into a corner a little bit. Which is not to say all comparisons between computer language and "normal" languages are wrong, just that they're not really appropriate in this instance when discussing copypwritability.
  • Colliwinks 14y ago
    What is meant by a 'language' is actually fairly well defined mathematically: That is something that can be described by a number of grammars. These in turn can be categorised (see the Chomsky Hierarchy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chomsky_hierarchy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chomsky_hierarchy) In that sense, programming languages, regular expressions, and natural language can all be identified by what types of grammar can define them.