Dynamic syntax: A concept for the definition of the syntax of programming languages

Abstract

It is well known that the syntax of declarative programming languages is not context-free, and that this is due to their ability to declare names which may then occur only in specific contexts. This report explores the idea that declarations modify the context-free grammar of any program in which they appear. The name dynamic syntax has been given to this concept. The report presents a functional formulation of dynamic syntax and applies the resulting metalanguage to the description of the syntax of Algol 60. © 1973.