

Language and social signaling - mwsherman
http://clipperhouse.com/2013/08/24/language-and-social-signaling/

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JasonPunyon
Yes a human language or grammar doesn't come into being the same way a
programming language does, but the notion of correctness still exists and I'd
probably define it as:

Correct === Tradition + Lots 'o' Time

And Matt wasn't arguing this, but I have to link to Eric Lippert whenever I
can so:

The idea programming language isn't 'correct' is kinda wonky. As I learned
from Eric Lippert's [Three
umpires]([http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ericlippert/archive/2009/11/09/three...](http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ericlippert/archive/2009/11/09/three-
umpires.aspx)):

    
    
      Three baseball umpires are having lunch together. 
    
      The first umpire says "Well, a lot of them are balls, and a lot of them are 
      strikes, but I always calls 'em as I sees 'em."
      
      The second umpire says "Hmph. I calls 'em as they are."
      
      The third umpire slowly looks at his two colleagues and declares "They ain't 
      nothin' until I calls 'em."
    

When a designed language is presented to you, you can't really argue about
correctness, only suitability to a particular purpose or taste.

------
JaciSt
oh, language, so happy to find you, Matt

