merits of Lisp vs Python

[Kirk Sluder]

In article 
<pan.2006.12.10.02.57.36.86286 at REMOVE.THIS.cybersource.com.au>,
 Steven D'Aprano <steve at REMOVE.THIS.cybersource.com.au> wrote:

> So it is good that English restricts the expressiveness and power of the
> syntax and grammar. While we're talking English, we can both understand
> each other, and in fact people who redefine words and ignore the common
> meaning of them are often covering weaknesses in their arguments.

Ohh, can the guy who does discourse analysis for a (meager) living 
respond to this?

To start with, English does not restrict the expressiveness and 
power of the syntax and grammar. People who use the English language 
in specific communities and in specific forms of discourse do. The 
key to how this happens occurs on another layer of how language 
works which is almost always left out of internet discussions of 
language: pragmatics. 

Here is the way it works on usenet.  You write, "...English 
restricts the expressiveness and power of the syntax and grammar." 
And I write, "You should probably do a bit of casual reading into 
human linguistics before you make such silly statements."

In general however, there is this great mechanism embedded in human 
communication called "feedback." Statements that are unclear or 
misunderstood are met with a blank stare, "huh?" or "???" depending 
on medium, mode and context variables.
 
> The same goes for programming languages. Extra expressiveness comes at the
> cost of reduced communication between programmers -- the code becomes
> harder to read for those who haven't already learnt how to read it.

Well, extending this analogy to programming languages, the same 
social mechanisms are in effect. In addition to the technical syntax 
of computer languages, there is also a fair amount of pragmatics 
involved.  Lisp code is expected to conform to a lisp style, and 
python code is expected to conform to a python style.  Developments 
that run counter to that style are more likely to be rejected than 
developments that conform to that style.

http://www.python.org/doc/essays/styleguide.html
http://www.lisp.org/table/style.htm