Re: What is the origin of `pragma'

[dik@cwi.nl (Dik T. Winter)]

In article <15896@vail.ICO.ISC.COM> rcd@ico.ISC.COM (Dick Dunn) writes:
 > It may or may not have any bearing, but ALGOL 68 has a construct called a
 > "pragmat" with very similar usage.  I recall seeing it in at least one
 > other language of comparably ancient vintage, but I can't lay hands on the
 > information, and I can't recall whether it was pragma or pragmat.  ALGOL 68
 > uses a symbol "pr" as the delimiter.
 > -- 
This is true, but it was not in the original language.  The "Report on the
Algorithmic Language Algol 68" (1969) does not mention pragmats, the
revised report (printed 1976, but already published earlier) does.
I think it got into the language in the 1972-1974 timeframe.
-- 
dik t. winter, cwi, amsterdam, nederland
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