I think C (and Unix) was the original context in which the static keyword appeared, and as such, changing its meaning would be a terrible idea. A C programmer h

I think C (and Unix) was the original context in which the static keyword appeared, and as such, changing its meaning would be a terrible idea. A C programmer has to deal with things a lot more complex than the syntax (which IMHO is much clearer than any more modern language, in the context in which it is most commonly used, i.e. system programming). So if someone is 'confused' by the fact that a keyword has two different (albeit related meanings) in the language, and is too bothered to check a manual, or the internet for an explanation, how is that person supposed to write a driver or an operating system, or use low level ipc/communication mechanisms, or debug an elusive deadlock? C is not JavaScript, get over it.