Wolfgang Jeltsch <g9ks1...@acme.softbase.org> writes: > Am Freitag, 10. Juli 2009 05:26 schrieb rocon...@theorem.ca: >> I find it amazing that you independently chose to spell colour with a `u'. >> It makes me feel better about my choice. > > I have to admit that it makes me unhappy. :-( > > Why do we use English for identifiers? Because English is the language > of computer science. What English should we use? It’s tempting to say, > we should use the original English, which is British English. But we > should ask again what is the language of computer science. And the > language of computer science is American English.
I don't buy that. And don't forget India. > To my knowledge, most early developments in computer science had their roots > in the US. Really? Manchester Mark I, EDSAC I, EDSAC II? Alan Turing, David Wheeler, Maurice Wilkes? To mention a random selection of early ones (leaving aside Konrad Zuse and colleagues and various Russian pioneers on account of not speaking English). > One consequence of this is that reserved words of programming > languages are typically in American English. PASCAL uses “program”, The use of "program" rather than "programme" in programming was mandated by the IFIP in what I regard as an attempt to act outwith their remit. I've never accepted it. > not “programme”, and BASIC uses “COLOR”, not “COLOUR”. I'm not sure I would use BASIC as an authority for any aspect of programming language design. Going back to the early developments aspect, a high proportion of early work in functional programming was done in Britain and elsewhere in Europe (at a time when Europeans typically preferred British spellings), so perhaps one should recognise that in choosing identifiers. But anyway, where's the harm in a bit of variety? If someone who prefers British spellings originates a package, why get het up about it if they use them in identifiers? I have to put up with American spellings all over the place, so a few British spellings might even up the balance a bit. -- Jón Fairbairn (British, but with a tendency to identify myself as European) _______________________________________________ Haskell-Cafe mailing list Haskell-Cafe@haskell.org http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/haskell-cafe