> From: Dan Bron > > Right. The question is whether "." alone is a letter or an inflexion. > If the former, then it is a word in addition to a letter (cf +), but if > so why is ++ two words but +. one word? If the latter (an inflexion), > then what is it inflecting? > > We can answer that question by saying "it is inflecting a (possibly > implied) space character". In §1, Alphabet and Words [1], we read: > > The alphabet is standard ASCII, > comprising digits, letters (of the > English alphabet), the underline > (used in names and numbers), > the (single) quote, and others > (which include the space) to be > referred to as graphics. > > and > > A primitive or primary may be. > denoted by a single graphic > (such as + for plus) or by a > graphic modified by one or > more following inflections (a > period or colon) > > So space is (explicitly) a graphic, and primitive is an inflected > graphic. Hence an inflected space is a primitive.
But a period or colon are also graphics so could equally argue that ( . ) and ( : ) are primitives denoted by a single graphic? So perhaps the primitives formed by inflecting a space and the primitives formed by a single period or colon can be thought of as equivalent definitions of the same primitive? > The parenthetical "(possibly implied)" only applies when the > inflexion is literally the first character in a sentence. > This is rare, given their nature. It is also required because > the interpreter produces eg (<,'.')-:;:' .' and > accepts eg (;:'.')`:6 . Luckily a syntax highlighter will not have to recognize these as they are all strings! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
