Re: [xsl] XPath is NOT a functional language

[David Carlisle <davidc@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mike Kay wrote

> See for example http://www.google.com/search?q=define:functional+language

While the two definitions that google turned up showed that functions as
first class objects are not necessarily part of the definition they both
do suggest that function definition _is_ part of the definition of a
functional language.

... "A language that replaces programming steps with function definitions" ...
... "using a functional language, you write functions to describe " ...

XPath does not have function definition capability and I think it fails
to meet either of these definitions of a functional language.


> With Phil Wadler on the working group, we could hardly get away with using
> the term in a way that's out of line with accepted definitions.

Perhaps he only had his eye on Xquery (or XSLT) which do of course have
function definition.


David

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