Number of languages known [was Re: Python is readable] - somewhat OT

[Terry Reedy]

On 4/3/2012 8:39 AM, Nathan Rice wrote:

> Ultimately, the answers to your questions exist in the world for you
> to see.  How does a surgeon describe a surgical procedure?  How does a
> chef describe a recipe?  How does a carpenter describe the process of
> building cabinets?  Aside from specific words, they all use natural
> language, and it works just fine.

Not really. Surgeon's learn by *watching* a surgeon who knows the 
operation and next (hopefully) doing a particular surgery under 
supervision of such a surgeon, who watches and talks, and may even grab 
the instruments and re-show. They then really learn by doing the 
procedure on multiple people. They often kill a few on the way to mastery.

I first learned basic carpentry and other skills by watching my father. 
I don't remember that he ever said anything about how to hold the tools.

I similarly learned basic cooking by watching my mom. My knowledge of 
how to crack open an egg properly and separate the yolk from the rest is 
a wordless memory movie.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy