LANGUAGE HEIRARCHIES - LEVELS OF ABSTRACTION A series of compilers could generate the same sentence (meaning) from language to language to language. This is useful for communication but does not aid insight. A series of languages is sometimes used to translate a specification between different technical languages – this however also does not progress insight. However a language can be analysed into grammar and vocabulary where the grammar is a generalization and vocabulary an instance. If we can further analyse the grammar into still more insightful generalizations and instances, then we have a meta-language and can produce a compiler for this meta-language. When the language compiler and the meta-language compiler are connected in series we have a meta-compiler. This is useful to describe a design at different functional levels. DESIGN LANGUAGES - DEVELOPMENTAL SYSTEMS However a grammar is described by a set of rules (‘production rules’) for constructing an infinite variety of sentence types. For a simple language the rules are like Meccano pieces, with only a small number of connection types, which can be assembled into an infinite variety of designs. For more complex languages the production rules have many ‘attributes’ and are like small molecules that can form different types of bonds at specific locations with other molecules having the right matching bond types in the right locations. This is akin to cellular chemistry.
EnGen Institute 1992-2018
I  N   S  T  I  T  U   T  E
LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
TOTAL SUSTAINABILITY
GENERATIVE ENGINEERING OF ENGINEERED ENVIRONMENTS FOR LIFE SUPPORT
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN LANGUAGES
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