Re: Is the dangling else a syntax bug?

genew@shuswap.net (Gene Wirchenko)
17 Jul 2001 23:25:55 -0400

          From comp.compilers

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Re: Is the dangling else a syntax bug? ralph@inputplus.demon.co.uk (2001-07-06)
Re: Is the dangling else a syntax bug? gsc@zip.com.au (Sean Case) (2001-07-06)
Re: Is the dangling else a syntax bug? lars@bearnip.com (2001-07-06)
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Re: Is the dangling else a syntax bug? david.thompson1@worldnet.att.net (David Thompson) (2001-07-17)
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| List of all articles for this month |

From: genew@shuswap.net (Gene Wirchenko)
Newsgroups: comp.compilers
Date: 17 Jul 2001 23:25:55 -0400
Organization: Compilers Central
References: 01-06-073 01-07-020 01-07-029 01-07-045
Keywords: syntax
Posted-Date: 17 Jul 2001 23:25:55 EDT

ralph@inputplus.demon.co.uk (Ralph Corderoy) wrote:


>I take your point.
>
>> However, in natural languages, omitting a comma is rarely a cause for
>> misunderstanding, whereas in programming languages it is almost
>> always considered a syntactic error.


          Bwahahahahaha!


>That reminds me of an example used in support of the `Oxford' comma.
>
> I'd like to thank my parents, Mother Theresa and God.
>
>versus
>
> I'd like to thank my parents, Mother Theresa, and God.


          Here's another argument for commas (courtesey of a discussion in
alt.usage.english some months back):
                    Once she had the dress off she would go in search of
                                                                ^
                    matching shoes, gloves and a handbag.
Somewhat different meaning depending on whether there's a comma at the
caret. With no comma there, I would put one after "off" to avoid
ambiguity.


Sincerely,


Gene Wirchenko


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