Re: terminology

From:
Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.java.programmer
Date:
Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:17:45 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID:
<580829.126.1334881065985.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@pbcgs4>
Stefan Ram wrote:

Sometimes, I was being criticized for making up non-standard
  terminology. If there is a standard term for the following,
  then please tell me so:


<http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-6.html>

  In
 
java.lang.Thread . dumpStack()
java.lang.System.out . print( 2 )
 
  I do call the source code part in front of the last dot a
  /context/.


Fully-qualified type name.
<http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-6.html#jls-6.5.5.2>
 

  I do call the simple name between the last dot and the first
  parentheses a /verb/. (So a verb does never contain a dot.)


Simple method name.
<http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-6.html#jls-6.5.7.1>

  (I do /not/ call this =BBmethod name=AB, since I want to exclude
  texts with dots, like =BB>java.lang.Thread.dumpStack=AB, which
  are also method names in Java AFAIK.)


Qualified method name.
<http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-6.html#jls-6.5.7.2>

  I do call the simple call after the last dot up to the last
  parentheses a /sentence/.


Method invocation expression, except that includes the qualifier. There is =
no standard term for what you call a "sentence", nor would most Java progra=
ms have the faintest clue what you mean by that word.
<http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-15.html#jls-15.12>

  (I do /not/ call this =BB[method ]call=AB, since the whole lines
  including the dots are also called =BB[method ]calls=AB or
  =BB[method ]invocations=AB in Java.)


There's always a qualifier in a method invocation, so there is no such thin=
g as an invocation without one. The qualifier is just implicit by the grace=
 of 'import', but it's explicit in the JVM regardless.

To be consistent with Java terminology, use the term "simple method invocat=
ion", which is not official but at least it's explicable.

 
    context sentence
.------------------. .------------.
java.lang.Thread . dumpStack()
java.lang.System.out . print ( 2 )
                       '-------'
                         verb
'------------------------------'
  not a verb, because of dots
'-----------------------------------'
  not a sentence, because of dots
 
  Ok, =BBcontext=AB /is/ a standard JLS term, but =BBverb=AB is less


"Context" in the JLS has several meanings, all identical to the standard En=
glish usage, not a technical context:
<http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-6.html#jls-6.5.1>
Here are a few of them:

 - In a package declaration (=A77.4)
 - To the left of the "." in a qualified PackageName
 - In a single-type-import declaration
 - To the left of the "." in a single-static-import declaration
 - To the left of the "<" in a parameterized type
 - In an explicit type argument list in a method or constructor invocation
 - As a PostfixExpression
 - Before the "(" in a method invocation expression
 - To the left of the "=" sign in an annotation's element value pair

and many more. Your attempt to reduce "context" to one specific construct a=
mongst this plethora is at variance with Java's terminology.

  so (although sometimes used in OOP, IIRC), and =BBsentence=AB
  was invented by me, but seems natural, once one accepts =BBverb=AB.
 
  However, if there are already standard Java terms for this,
  I'd gladly use them.


Quite frankly I'm surprised that you aren't already using the terms defined=
 in the JLS where they exist, and following their pattern when they don't. =
I'm especially surprised that you'd use terms differently from how they do =
("context"). I strongly suggest that you use the terminology from the JLS.

--
Lew

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