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.. _PL_Glossary:
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.. Copyright (c) 2012-2020 by the OpenDSA Project Contributors, and
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.. avmetadata::
:author: David Furcy, Tom Naps and Taylor Rydahl
========
GLOSSARY
========
.. glossary::
:sorted:
alpha
The name of the Greek letter :math:`\alpha` (lowercase) or
:math:`A` (uppercase), corresponding to the letter "a".
bnf grammar
A BNF grammar is...
binding occurrence
A binding occurrence is the place in a program where a variable is
bound to its name (or identifier). In modern programming languages,
a binding occurrence is the same as a declaration of the variable.
In lambda calculus, a binding occurrence for, say, the variable
:math:`x`, is any sub-expression equal to :math:`\lambda x.`
bound
In a lambda expression, a variable occurrence is bound or
occurs bound if it belongs to the scope of a binding occurrence
of that variable.
free
In a lambda expression, a variable occurrence is free or
occurs free if it is not bound in that expression.
function abstraction
In lambda calculus, a function abstraction (or lambda
abstraction) is synonymous with a function definition that
contains the name of the formal parameter and the body of the
function.
lambda
The name of the Greek letter :math:`\lambda` (lowercase) or
:math:`\Lambda` (uppercase), corresponding to the letter "L".
lambda abstraction
Synonym for :term:`function abstraction`.
scope
Abbreviation for :term:`variable scope`
variable scope
The scope of a variable declaration (or binding occurrence) in a
program is the collection of all parts of the program (that is,
the lines of code) in which this variable is accessible via
its name or identifier.
variable capture
A free variable occurrence is captured when it becomes bound following
the renaming of some other variable occurrence.