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assignment expression peeve

Carl Banks imbosol at aerojockey.invalid
Thu Oct 16 15:09:39 EDT 2003 
anton muhin wrote:
> Carl Banks wrote:
>> Paul Rubin wrote:
>> 
>> No.  The English equivalent of "a=b" is "set a to b" or "let a equal
>> b" or something like that.  Your construction "a named b" completely
>> fails to communicate that a's value becomes the same as b's.
> 
> I cannot agree, especially when Python is concerned: Python assignment 
> just copies references, therefore, it's rather direct counterpart for 
> 'Bill guy' example.

That's simply a flawed argument.  I agree that Python's assignment
semantics make "set a to b" incorrect.  But, that doesn't mean "a
named b" is right.  "a named b" does not, by any stretch of the
imagination, communicate that a is being set to the value of b.  In
order to be a lingusitic analogue, the phrase would have to
communicate that.

If you like, you can think of "a=b" as "set a to reference the value
of b".


-- 
CARL BANKS                   http://www.aerojockey.com/software

As the newest Lady Turnpot descended into the kitchen wrapped only in
her celery-green dressing gown, her creamy bosom rising and falling
like a temperamental souffle, her tart mouth pursed in distaste, the
sous-chef whispered to the scullery boy, "I don't know what to make of
her." 
          --Laurel Fortuner, Montendre, France 
            1992 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Winner
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