A micro-manual for LISP - not the whole truth

Abstract

LISP data are symbolic expressions that can be either atoms of lists. Atoms are strings of letters and digits and other characters not otherwise used in LISP. A list consists of a left parenthesis followed by zero or more atoms or lists separated by spaces and ending with a right parenthesis. Examples: A, ONION, (), (A), (A ONION A), (PLUS B (TIMES X PI) 1), (CAR (QUOTE (A B))).

The LISP programming language is defined by rules whereby certain LISP expressions have other LISP expressions as values. The function called value that we will use in giving these rules is not part of the LISP language but rather part of the informal mathematical language used to define LISP. Likewise, the italic letters e and a (sometimes with subscripts) denote LISP expressions, the letter v (usually subscripted) denotes an atom serving as a variable, and the letter f stands for a LISP expression serving as a function name.

Index Terms

• Computing methodologies

  • Symbolic and algebraic manipulation

    • Representation of mathematical objects

• Software and its engineering

  • Software notations and tools

    • Compilers

      • Interpreters

    • General programming languages

      • Language types