What is a programming language, really?

Abstract

In computing, we usually take a technical view of programming languages (PL), defining them as formal means of specifying a computer behavior. This view shapes much of the research that we do on PL, determining the questions we ask about them, the improvements we make to them, and how we teach people to use them. But to many people, PL are not purely technical things, but socio-technical things. This paper describes several alternative views of PL and how these views can reshape how we design, evolve, and use programming languages in research and practice.