Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #13803

Re: terminology

Show all headers | View raw

John B. Matthews wrote:
> Stefan Ram wrote:
>> Stefan Ram writes:
>>>     context             sentence
>>> .------------------.   .------------.
>>> java.lang.Thread     . dumpStack()
>>> java.lang.System.out . print    ( 2 )
>>>                        '-------'
>>>                          verb
>>
>>    I just found some support here:
>>
>>       »LINGUISTIC METAPHORS IN SOFTWARE DESIGN«
>>
>>        (...)
>>
>>       »Messages      resemble sentences
>>        Method names  resemble verb and noun phrases«
>>
>> http://www.educery.com/papers/rhetoric/road/
>>
>>    (But the second observation makes me think about
>>    using »word« instead of »verb«.)
>
> The combination of a verb plus a noun phrase makes me think of a
> grammatical predicate
>
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predicate_(grammar)>,
>
> but predicate can also mean the result of evaluating a logical
> expression.

Stefan introduces a useful and productive exercise, mapping the specialized 
terms of art for Java to the wider world of terms from programming and the 
real world.

I favor using the terms of art when having a discussion within that context, 
that is, use the Java terms when talking of Java particularly. I favor what 
Stefan is doing, connecting to other terms of varying synonymity, to deepen 
understanding and to discuss matters intelligibly outside the world of Java.

It's important to understand that cognate terms vary from literally equivalent 
to fancifully metaphoric and most in between. A sentence is a statement in 
linguistics, so the Java term "statement" may fairly map to "sentence" as a 
metaphoric or general term. However, calling it a "sentence" whilst reviewing 
a program will jar, pun intended. Back on the plus side, if you know that a 
Java statement constitutes the sentence of its world, you could be the better 
programmer.

Be prepared for folks to differ from you on the generalized terminology, but 
stand your ground on the terms of art.

-- 
Lew
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Friz.jpg

Back to comp.lang.java.programmer | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Re: terminology "John B. Matthews" <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2012-04-22 07:46 -0400
  Re: terminology Jan Burse <janburse@fastmail.fm> - 2012-04-22 16:06 +0200
  Re: terminology Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2012-04-22 10:57 -0700

csiph-web