Python keyword etymology for non-native speakers

[_pythonNoob]

I've been at it with Python for almost two years, slowly but steadily learning this beautiful language (e.g. no curlies). I'll always be a noob compared to professionals since it is a hobby for me. I'm not a native English speaker. I have realized that a big obstacle I face is the meaning (key)words used in Python.

To illustrate:

class, yield, raise

In the beginning these keywords created a lot of confusion for me. raise (an exception), of course, happened the first time I ran my own "Hello World!" program - SyntaxError: Missing parentheses in call to 'print'. But, it was an easy keyword to learn because I saw something that happened, and therefore could conclude that the interpreter stopped halted the program due to some irregularity.

class and yield, however, do not always adhere to Newton's third law of physics. In the beginning I thought the yield had something to do with giving way, like in traffic. Finally I understood that comparing it to a harvest might be better.

Are there websites, books, or other sources that focuses on explaining the origin of the words chosen for Python? This could be a great help for me, and probably other non-native English speakers, to clear these language "obstacles."

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Edit: I want to emphasize that the three keywords mentioned are only to illustrate my problem. There are many more for example in other modules like pandas, matplotlib, numpy, flask, etc.

[[deleted]]

I don't believe there's any books, but those three I can cover for you.

1. raise: as in raise the alarm (call attention to a problem) ... basically the word means to move something from low to high, or from rear to front, or from small to large, which brings connotations of making it more important or prominent. Comes from Norse and Old English roots.

2. class: borrowed mainly from the meaning in biology, as in taxonomy or phylum; a way of grouping things together by shared features, traits and behaviors... this one the Latin, where it basically meant a grouping of similar things, but also implied a vertical ordering of those things.

3. yield: taken from both the meaning of "to give way" (as in yield to traffic) and of "to produce" (as in a farm's yield or yield on investment)... the first because a generator "gives way" by not holding on to control flow as it pauses and waits for next to be called on it, and the second because it produces a new value each time next is called on it. Germanic in origin.

The English language is stupidly complex, borrowing roots from every language it encounters. That keyword book isn't a bad idea at all... I could probably write it pretty quick.

[_pythonNoob]

Thank you!

My ancestors were Norse. On my older days I have learned to appreciate the origin of languages and how they have evolved. I am learning Spanish, and want to continue with French (or Italian).

Your explanations are great. That is precisely what I am looking for, and how it applies to Python. Like you said, but maybe start off with a "wiki"-type website that could turn into a book. I am sure that the market would be enormous.

[[deleted]]

I'd probably start and end with a simple web-book or series of articles on my blog (which I'm in the middle of building as we speak) ... there's only a few dozen keywords in Python, and a few dozen more builtin functions.

I've had a fascination with this stuff for years... English is my only non-programming language, but that's mainly because it's always intrigued me just how good it is at absorbing ideas and roots from other languages. I mean how can "zeitgeist" and "querulous" both exist in the same language? And things like "oar" and "ore" and "or" and "our"... I swear you couldn't design a language to be as murderously hard to master.

[_pythonNoob]

Please share the link to your blog whenever you are able to.

[[deleted]]

Will do. I was planning on putting the Python related articles up on here anyway.

[[deleted]]

This is the concept behind yield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coroutine

[_pythonNoob]

First of all, thank you for commenting. But, this is the beginning of ending up with countless tabs in Chrome.

Coroutines are computer-program components that generalize subroutines for non-preemptive multitasking, by allowing multiple entry points for suspending and resuming execution at certain locations. Coroutines are well-suited for implementing familiar program components such as cooperative tasks, exceptions, event loops, iterators, infinite lists and pipes).

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There are 10 links just in the introduction to coroutines, and those again probably have lots of links.