Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics
Formal (artificial) language used in computers and designed for formulating tasks and solving problems (
algorithm, formal language). An executable program (‘source code’) written in a programming language is translated by a compiler or interpreter into a machine language (‘object code’). Every (higher-level) programming language is conceived for working on certain types of problems, e.g. ALGOL (‘algorithmic language’) principally for mathematical problems, COBOL (‘common business-oriented language’) for businessoriented problems. FORTRAN (‘formula trans-lation system’) for non-numeric scientific problems. In the framework of computational linguistics, LISP (e.g. for ATN grammars) and PROLOG (for definite clause grammar) play an important role.
References
Clocksin, W.F. and C.S.Mellish.
1981. Programming in PROLOG. Berlin (2nd edn 1984.)
Garner, M. 1987. Artificial languages: a critical history. London.
Wechselblat, R.L. (ed.) 1981. History of programming languages. London.
Winston, P.H. and B.K.P.Horn, 1981. LISP. Reading, MA. (2nd edn 1984.)
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