What is the meaning of an expression?

Christopher F Clark <christopher.f.clark@compiler-resources.com>
Fri, 14 Jan 2022 22:42:58 +0200

          From comp.compilers

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From: Christopher F Clark <christopher.f.clark@compiler-resources.com>
Newsgroups: comp.compilers
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2022 22:42:58 +0200
Organization: Compilers Central
Injection-Info: gal.iecc.com; posting-host="news.iecc.com:2001:470:1f07:1126:0:676f:7373:6970"; logging-data="53051"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@iecc.com"
Keywords: semantics
Posted-Date: 14 Jan 2022 16:43:29 EST

I wouldn't use either of the statements in a compiler construction context:


The meaning of an expression is the value of an expression.
The semantics of an expression is the value of an expression.


Although if I had to imagine using one of those two sentences, I could
vaguely imagine using the former? As in "what does 1 + 1 mean?" It
means "add one and one together, the answer being two". But, even in
that case, I wouldn't make it a blanket statement. You have to
contrive an example where you would use a statement like that and it
isn't particularly natural. Most importantly, it isn't something
general.


This is as close as I can imagine coming:
"In a value oriented language, the meaning of an expression is the
value of an expression".


So, I heartily agree with our esteemed moderator. Don't believe
everything you read.
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