Re: terminology
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