While doing some research into one of the more recently hyped techs-of-the-moment, node.js, I came across this quote from debuggable:

“Another reason is JavaScript. You can use node to share code between the browser and your backend. JavaScript is also on its way to become a really universal language. No matter if you did python, ruby, java, php, … in the past, you’ve probably picked up some JS along the way, right?”

I’m not sure that’s a very compelling reason on its own to use node.js, but the author’s point is that most people know some JavaScript, so if you wish to use an evented programming framework, node.js is a wiser choice over, say, Ruby’s EventMachine, assuming you are more familiar with JavaScript than Ruby.

Regardless, I was fascinated by the part of the quote above that mentions how JavaScript is on its way to becoming a universal programming language.  There are lots of similarities between programming languages and spoken languages, with my personal favorite being how after you’ve picked up at least two languages, you can pick up virtually any after that very easily.

If JavaScript is indeed becoming the “universal” programming language, then it very well may be the programming version of the English spoken language.  Let’s see what I mean:

• Both can be tricky to pick up at first.  I’d actually argue that JavaScript is actually less tricky to pick up, but that might be because I learned quite a few other languages first.
• JavaScript is a bit loose in its rules and doesn’t require well-formed syntax.  You can write a program in JavaScript that looks horrendous, but most programmers could probably generally follow what you mean.  Similarly, the English language lets you mix up the parts of a sentence is so many different ways that new speakers might say or write something that seems odd but understandable to native speakers.
• English has become a universal language among scientists, professors, highly ranked politicians, etc., not because it’s a superb and easy language, but rather because the old British Empire and, later on, the United States’ cultural influence spread around the world.  The world at large is now stuck with a tricky language as its common tongue.  In the world of programming, web development has been gaining steam for years, replacing a lot of desktop development.  The “cultural influence” of our web browsers, where JavaScript is the main scripting language supported, appears to be making JavaScript the language “spoken” by the masses of programmers out there.  Like English, it too is often derided for not being a great language.

There are probably many more similarities that I don’t have listed.  What does this all mean?  Perhaps linguists can learn something from computer programming, and vice-versa.  I’d definitely be interested in studies looking further into this.

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I apologize for the seemingly abandonment of my regular postings here – events in the real world took precedence for quite a while, and I didn’t have time to get back to what is essentially a hobby of mine here.  I’ve been tossing around ideas of how to further develop this site or what to turn it into, so stay tuned for that.