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2.2 Sentence Structure

When using programming notation in an expository notation for computer science, it is important that the notation have a sentence structure that can be easily verbalized. When reading and thinking in an explicit manner, we actually verbalize our thoughts even though we are not speaking out loud. Conventional programming languages are often difficult to verbalize and because of this are not as suitable for exposition as are languages which are more easily verbalized. Dijkstra [Di 72], in his Turing lecture, ``The Humble Programmer'', stated ``... that the tool we are trying to use and the language or notation we are using to express or record our thoughts are the major factors determining that we can think or express at all!''. The expressive power of a language is one yardstick by which one may measure the relative merits of a programming language.

A programming notation which is used in an expository manner should have a simple syntax which is easy to learn and an easily understood evaluation rule.



Subsections
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Next: 2.2.1 Scheme Sentences Up: 2 Criteria Previous: 2.1.2 J Example
2002-09-27