Programming in controlled natural languages

["John F. Sowa" <sowa@BESTWEB.NET>]

We've discussed controlled languages on these lists
from time to time, and there's some work at MIT on
using a version of English that isn't well controlled.
It isn't really full English, but since the grammar
is not fully controlled, it isn't really a CNL.

Following is an article based on an interview with
Hugo Liu, a graduate student and research assistant
at MIT:


http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2005/032305/Tool_turns_English_to_code_032305.html

The original papers, which are rather short conference
articles, can be found on Liu's web site:

    http://web.media.mit.edu/%7Ehugo/publications/
    publications :: hugo liu

The system, called Metafor, is experimental, and
has not be used to generate any serious programs.
Some excerpts below.

John Sowa
____________________________________________________

English:

    There is a bar with a bartender who makes drinks.

Code:

    class bar:
       the_bartender = bartender()
    class bartender:
       def make(drink): pass

English:

    The bar has a menu containing some drinks, which include:
    a sour apple martini, a margarita, and rum and coke.

Code:

    class bar:
       the_bartender = bartender()
       the_menu = menu()
    class bartender:
       def make(drink): pass
    class menu:
       drinks = [sour_apple_martini, margarita, rum_and_coke]
    class drink: pass
    class apple_martini(drink):
       properties = [“sour”]
    class margarita(drink): pass
    class rum_and_coke(drink): pass