Re: denotational semantics

compilers@ima.UUCP
7 Jan 86 16:24:00 GMT

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From: compilers@ima.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.compilers
Date: 7 Jan 86 16:24:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: ima.136300031
Posted: Tue Jan 7 11:24:00 1986
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Nf-From: ima!compilers Jan 7 11:24:00 1986



[from ]


      When I read a denotational semantics, I think of it as an
operational semantics written in Scheme (a small Lisp dialect closely
resembling the lambda calculus). Such games as making up
statically-scoped functions on the fly and passing multiple
continuations are standard coding practice in Scheme, but appear
nearly inpenetrable, I would imagine, to a person trained solely in
traditional algorithmic languages.


      One neat aspect of looking at things this way is that it is
conceivably possible to write a meta-interpreter that can interpret
any language, given its denotational semantics. (I believe that this
has sort of been done: Peter Mosses' SIS (Semantic Interpretation
System)?)


-- Richard Schooler
Intermetrics, Inc.



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