Kartik Agaram > You know, I've never known how to pronounce s-expressions either.. > > ess expressions => tee expressions
That's how I pronounce s-expressions, and how I'd pronounce t-expressions. But that doesn't make it canonical :-). I can see that having a simple "abbreviated" name is useful: * An obvious abbreviation for curly-infix expression is "c-expression". I wouldn't like to *eliminate* the curly-infix name, but as an abbreviation it's sensible. * I can live with "t-expression" as an abbreviation for sweeT-expression, especially, since "t" comes after "s" :-). A *problem* with "modern" is that the term "M-expression" already has a meaning - that is McCarthy's original (and discarded) programming notation. We could say moderN-expression abbreviates to "n-expression", but the "n" is not as pronounced as the "t" in "sweet" is. So I could see renaming modern-expressions in particular. But a new name is tricky, especially if there will be a *-expression abbreviation: - We could call it "function-expressions" since it permits traditional function notation. But that would abbreviate to "f-expression", which sounds way too close to "f*'en expression". - We could call it "prefix-expressions", but "p-expression" sounds exactly like "pee expression". Ugh. The term "new-expression" abbreviates nicely to "n-expression", but they're all new, and eventually they won't be. The term "neoteric-expression" abbreviates nicely to "n-expression" as well, and neoteric means "modern". It's also an obscure enough word that it can't possibly mean anything else :-). If we have to switch from "modern", then "neoteric" sounds like a start. The current project name is "readable". That's awkward to change, since I have URLs and such, but possible. Anyone have better ideas for names, or thoughts about the names? Now's the time. --- David A. Wheeler ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Live Security Virtual Conference Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ _______________________________________________ Readable-discuss mailing list Readable-discuss@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/readable-discuss
