Why the 'self' argument?

[Terry Reedy]

"John Roth" <newsgroups at jhrothjr.com> wrote in message
news:vlrfohfp908qd7 at news.supernews.com...
>
> "Terry Reedy" <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote in message
> news:rKadnXfgmJJdosCiXTWJiQ at comcast.com...
> > #define max(a,b) ... in C).  And one has to adjust to and feel
> > comfortable enough with the view that multiparam functions are a
> > composition of single param functions.
>
> I'm not sure how central currying is to the type inference
> mechanism.

Completely central in that the type of functions *is* a curried type
(in the *MLs I have looked at).  For instance, the type of a binary
int function is displayed something like:

func(int)==>func(int)==>int

with ==> associative right to left.  The type of f(i,j)=>int is 'a
function (of i) returning [a function (of j) returning an int]'.  As I
said, takes some adjustment for most.  But occasional mental exercise
like this is probably good for the brain.

Terry J. Reedy