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Groups > comp.lang.python > #67789

Re: Origin of 'self'

Date 2014-03-05 03:58 +0000
From MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com>
Subject Re: Origin of 'self'
References <dc4f4ee0-8380-4141-97bd-99d6e67d5e2d@googlegroups.com> <7edah9989mdjb9mrnrsh5067np0ihv1jml@4ax.com> <mailman.7706.1393937237.18130.python-list@python.org> <49693163-cb83-4651-81c5-241fad6145d5@googlegroups.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.python
Message-ID <mailman.7786.1393991916.18130.python-list@python.org> (permalink)

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On 2014-03-05 03:45, Rustom Mody wrote:
> On Tuesday, March 4, 2014 6:17:09 PM UTC+5:30, MRAB wrote:
>> On 2014-03-04 02:09, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:
>> > On Sun, 2 Mar 2014 22:16:31 -0800 (PST), Westley Martínez declaimed:
>
>> >> I understand that in an object method the first argument in the
>> >> object itself, called self.  However, it doesn't have to be called
>> >> self, and can be called anything.  So my question is why is it
>> >> called self and not this like from C++ and Java.  It's kind of a
>> >> silly question, but one that I'm curious about nevertheless.
>> > It didn't want to be egotistical (as I recall, M$ VB uses "me")
>> So does AppleScript.
>
>> <OT>
>
>> In AppleScript a script can refer to the title of a window as "title of
>> window" or "window's title", and it can refer to the title of its own
>> window as "title of window of me" or "me's window's title". Consistent,
>> yes, but bad English.
>
>> That's why I prefer a programming language not to be too much like a
>> natural language. :-)
>
>> </OT>
>
> <Continue-OT>
>
> There could be other conclusions.  Such as that English could learn
> from AppleScript to not make bogus distinctions between me and my. Or
> latin in which case is sufficiently explicit that word-order does not matter
>
Latin's not that explicit: the endings aren't unique within a
declension.

> <Even-more-OT>
> Reminds me of
> "How do we know whether smoking causes cancer or cancer causes smoking?"
> </Even-more-OT>
>
> </Continue-OT>
>

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Thread

Origin of 'self' Westley Martínez <anikom15@gmail.com> - 2014-03-02 22:16 -0800
  Re:Origin of 'self' Dave Angel <davea@davea.name> - 2014-03-03 01:49 -0500
  Re: Origin of 'self' Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2014-03-03 06:52 +0000
    Re: Origin of 'self' Westley Martínez <anikom15@gmail.com> - 2014-03-05 17:56 -0800
      Re: Origin of 'self' Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk> - 2014-03-06 17:43 +0000
      Re: Origin of 'self' Marko Rauhamaa <marko@pacujo.net> - 2014-03-06 19:46 +0200
  Re: Origin of 'self' Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly@gmail.com> - 2014-03-03 00:03 -0700
  Re: Origin of 'self' Terry Reedy <tjreedy@udel.edu> - 2014-03-03 13:35 -0500
  Re: Origin of 'self' Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2014-03-03 21:09 -0500
    Re: Origin of 'self' Roy Smith <roy@panix.com> - 2014-03-03 21:14 -0500
      Re: Origin of 'self' Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2014-03-04 19:27 -0500
  Re: Origin of 'self' Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com> - 2014-03-04 13:13 +1100
  Re: Origin of 'self' MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2014-03-04 12:47 +0000
    Re: Origin of 'self' Steven D'Aprano <steve+comp.lang.python@pearwood.info> - 2014-03-04 14:27 +0000
      Re: Origin of 'self' MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2014-03-04 17:10 +0000
    Re: Origin of 'self' Rustom Mody <rustompmody@gmail.com> - 2014-03-04 19:45 -0800
      Re: Origin of 'self' MRAB <python@mrabarnett.plus.com> - 2014-03-05 03:58 +0000
  Re: Origin of 'self' Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> - 2014-03-04 19:25 -0500

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