class Eq a whereAccording to dictionary.com one of the definitions of the word class is:
(==) :: a -> a -> Bool
That actually declares a /type class/, not a class. So why the use of the keyword class? Is it done merely to confuse C++ and Java programmers? The concept of type class in Haskell apparently roughly corresponds to the concept of "interface" in Java. So why not call it interface?
A set, collection, group, or configuration containing members regarded as having certain attributes or traits in common; a kind or category.
And what the members of class Eq have in common is that they have a function (==). So to me it seems that the word "class" is very well chosen; it describes what's going on.
Now, I admit that if you think you can take concepts with similar names from other programming languages and apply them to Haskell you might get confused. You might come across what is called "false friends" in natural language, i.e., words that look the same but mean different things.
-- Lennart
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