From: Phillip Gawlowski Date: 2011-04-14T00:16:56+09:00 Subject: Re: functional paradigm taking over On Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 4:59 PM, Kevin wrote: > @Phillip: Yes they are applicable, jargon does not supersede the rest of the > language. jargon*, n.: - (uncountable) A technical terminology unique to a particular subject. - (countable) Language characteristic of a particular group. - (uncountable) Speech or language that is incomprehensible or unintelligible; gibberish. Yes, it does. That's why jargon develops in the first place. >  Especially not when the subject being discussed (In part) whether > or not Excel can be considered a programming language is answered by those > definitions. language*, n: (computing, countable) A computer language. That's the definition that applies. If you want to use another one: that's called "moving the goal posts". >  Why do you think that the word language is even a part of the > phrase "programming language"?  It is because of the way the word language > could be and is used by people who are not a part of this field.  It was not > in any way random that such a phrase came to describe tools like Ruby, or > C++. *facepalm* Language is ambiguous to start with (compare US English and American English on the use of the word "fag" in slang). Words evolve, and change meaning (see also: "gay"). "programming language" is used for the same reason that airplanes use a similar terminology to ships: The words match, at least roughly, and get everyone on the same page with ease. From there, additional meanings develop. Just ask Google about how happy they are that "googling" is a verb now, or ask Kleenex about what "trademark dilution" means. Or are you really suggesting that, since the words are the same, a captain of a ship is as qualified to navigate the seas as a ship's captain, just because the spelling is the same? Is driving a car the same as driving a nail? Is a meter the same as 1 meter? This whole thing is called "semantics". You are, in fact, arguing semantics (in English: meaning). Badly. * definitions sourced from Wiktionary.org -- Phillip Gawlowski Though the folk I have met, (Ah, how soon!) they forget When I've moved on to some other place, There may be one or two, When I've played and passed through, Who'll remember my song or my face.