Re: language design references wanted

In article 91-08-112 grosen@mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu (Johannes Grosen) writes:
> I'm a second year grad student (CS) and preparing to tackle (gasp!) my
> thesis. A number of possible topics have been suggested, many of which
> involve implementing new languages or extending/modifying existing ones. My
> question is this: there seems to be a great deal of literature on compiler
> design (i.e., implementing translators for a language) but very little on
> designing the language! Various people, including our moderator, Mr. Levine,
> have called it a 'black art'. Well, I'd like to be a 'sorcerer's
> apprentice'!>I would very much appreciate hearing of any references that
> deal with how one goes about designing a language.


I would advise you to avoid the whole thing. This is a dictum I have heard
from the old timers -- "avoid designing languages like it was the clap". Do
it only if there is no other way you can achieve your goals. I have designed
a few in my time and I fully agree. In case you do need to design one, there
are two main principles that I would like to pass on. First, keep it simple
and small. And the second, borrow whatever you can from existing widely-used
languages.


"The theory and practice of compiler writing" by Tremblay and Sorenson has
one or two chapters on language design. It was published by McGraw Hill.


good luck.


anurag
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