unstratified language
- noun
- Specialized
:
lenguaje no estratificado
- LISP is often cited as an example of an unstratified language due to its ability for meta-programming.
Examples
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In an unstratified language, the boundaries between code and its description are blurred.
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LISP is a well-known example of an unstratified language because it allows programs to manipulate their own code.
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Researchers discuss whether natural languages function as unstratified languages in certain contexts.
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Python is an example of an unstratified language.
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Many developers prefer using unstratified languages for their flexibility.
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In an unstratified language, there are no strict rules separating syntax from semantics.
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Many programmers enjoy the freedom that unstratified languages provide for creative coding.
Antonyms
- Specialized
A language that uses separate levels to talk about its own rules
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally composes from 'unstratified' (not arranged in layers) + 'language', so a learner who knows both words can infer a general idea of a language lacking layers. However, the specific technical sense (a programming language usable as its own metalanguage) is specialized and not predictable from the constituents alone, and 'unstratified' is relatively low-frequency, so full understanding would likely require prior exposure.
Etymology
Unstratified language starts from the image of unstratified meaning 'no layers', like a bowl of soup where everything is mixed and you cannot separate the ingredients. That's why the term describes a language where code and its description are mixed, so the language can 'talk about itself' and be used to write or change its own programs.
