[Python-Dev] [Python-3000] Pre-pre PEP for 'super' keyword (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Mon Apr 30 03:19:20 CEST 2007

On 4/29/07, Tristan Seligmann <mithrandi-python-dev at mithrandi.za.net> wrote:

* Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> [2007-04-29 16:30:18 -0700]:

> On 4/29/07, Jim Jewett <jimjjewett at gmail.com> wrote: > > So it is a "keyword" in the sense that None is a keyword; not in the > > stronger sense that "if" is a keyword? > > Um, how do you see those two differ? Is 'if' a keyword in the same > sense as 'or', or in a different sense? In my mind, 'if' and 'or' are "syntax", whereas things like 'None' or 'True' are "values"; even if None becomes an actual keyword, rather than a builtin.

I'm sorry, but that is such an incredibly subjective difference that I can't do anything with it. String literals and numeric literals are syntax too, even though they are values. A keyword, or reserved word, is simply something that looks like an identifier but is converted into a different token (by the lexer or by something sitting between the lexer and the parse) before the parser sees it.

Also note that null is a keyword in Java.

-- --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)

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