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archy_ | 5 months ago

C has a lot of ambiguity in how it is parsed ("undefined behavior") but people usually view that as a benefit because it allows compilers more freedom to dictate an implementation.

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roncesvalles|5 months ago

It's not the same. There is an explosion in expressiveness/ambiguity in the step from high-level programming languages to natural languages. This "explosion" doesn't exist in the steps between machine code and assembly, or assembly and a high-level programming language.

It is, for example, possible to formally verify or do 100% exhaustive testing as you go lower down the stack. I can't imagine this would be possible between NLs and PLs.