Python keywords vs. English grammar

[Roy Smith]

I noticed something interesting today. In C++, you write:

try {
throw foo;
} catch {
}

and all three keywords are verbs, so when you describe the code, you can
use the same English words as in the program source, "You try to execute
some code, but it throws a foo, which is caught by the handler".

In Python, you write:

try:
raise foo
except:

and now you've got a mix of verbs and (I think), a preposition. You can't
say, "You try to execute some code, but it raises a foo, which is excepted
by the handler". It just doesn't work grammatically.

Sigh.

[Rony Steelandt]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

I'm not a english speaker, so I just accepted it...;

I understood it as :
'Try' allways to execute this code, 'except' when it doesn't work do
this....

[color=blue]
> I noticed something interesting today. In C++, you write:
>
> try {
> throw foo;
> } catch {
> }
>
> and all three keywords are verbs, so when you describe the code, you can
> use the same English words as in the program source, "You try to execute
> some code, but it throws a foo, which is caught by the handler".
>
> In Python, you write:
>
> try:
> raise foo
> except:
>
> and now you've got a mix of verbs and (I think), a preposition. You can't
> say, "You try to execute some code, but it raises a foo, which is excepted
> by the handler". It just doesn't work grammatically.
>
> Sigh.[/color]


--
---
Rony Steelandt
BuCodi
rony dot steelandt (at) bucodi dot com

Visit the python blog at http://360.yahoo.com/bucodi

[Duncan Smith]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

Roy Smith wrote:[color=blue]
> I noticed something interesting today. In C++, you write:
>
> try {
> throw foo;
> } catch {
> }
>
> and all three keywords are verbs, so when you describe the code, you can
> use the same English words as in the program source, "You try to execute
> some code, but it throws a foo, which is caught by the handler".
>
> In Python, you write:
>
> try:
> raise foo
> except:
>
> and now you've got a mix of verbs and (I think), a preposition. You can't
> say, "You try to execute some code, but it raises a foo, which is excepted
> by the handler". It just doesn't work grammatically.
>
> Sigh.[/color]

It does, but it's maybe not 'plain English'.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=except

Duncan

[John Salerno]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

Roy Smith wrote:
[color=blue]
> try {
> throw foo;
> } catch {
> }[/color]
[color=blue]
> try:
> raise foo
> except:[/color]

But which one is prettier? ;)

[defcon8]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

1. Does it matter?
2. Is it affecting your productivity.
3. Are you not trying to programme?
4. It is open source, change it and stop whining.

[bruno at modulix]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

defcon8 wrote:[color=blue]
> 1. Does it matter?
> 2. Is it affecting your productivity.
> 3. Are you not trying to programme?
> 4. It is open source, change it and stop whining.
>[/color]

What about trying emacs <alt>+x doctor <return> ?

--
bruno desthuilliers
python -c "print '@'.join(['.'.join([w[::-1] for w in p.split('.')]) for
p in 'onurb@xiludom. gro'.split('@')])"

[Boris Borcic]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

Roy Smith wrote:[color=blue]
> I noticed something interesting today. In C++, you write:
>
> try {
> throw foo;
> } catch {
> }
>
> and all three keywords are verbs, so when you describe the code, you can
> use the same English words as in the program source, "You try to execute
> some code, but it throws a foo, which is caught by the handler".[/color]

Not convincing at all, since the *explicit* throw/raise lexically inside a try
block with a catch/except clause that's *predetermined* to catch it... is the
exception rather than the rule. Normally you'd use another form of block exit.
Or is the case different in C++ by any chance ?
[color=blue]
>
> In Python, you write:[/color]

usually, you don't write something similar to that, and neither in C++ I guess.[color=blue]
>
> try:
> raise foo
> except:
>
> and now you've got a mix of verbs and (I think), a preposition. You can't
> say, "You try to execute some code, but it raises a foo, which is excepted
> by the handler". It just doesn't work grammatically.
>
> Sigh.[/color]

[Roy Smith]

Re: Python keywords vs. English grammar

In article <4474d559$1_4@n ews.bluewin.ch> ,
Boris Borcic <bborcic@gmail. com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Roy Smith wrote:[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
> > and all three keywords are verbs, so when you describe the code, you can
> > use the same English words as in the program source, "You try to execute
> > some code, but it throws a foo, which is caught by the handler".[/color]
>
> Not convincing at all[/color]

I wasn't trying to convince anybody of anything. Just making an
observation.