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Evolution of Naturalistic Programming: A Need

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New Perspectives in Software Engineering (CIMPS 2020)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 1297))

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Abstract

For years, researchers and programmers have studied, proposed, and reflected on how to enhance the expressive power of programming languages. One of the most popular thoughts on this matter is that natural language can be used as a programming tool. In this work, we review the state-of-the-art of naturalistic programming, whose goal is to achieve greater expressiveness in programming languages and better approach the user domain. We review the only three naturalistic general-purpose languages that can generate executable code by comparing them concerning a conceptual model – Pegasus, Cal-4700, and SN. We discuss the similarities and differences between each language. Then, we introduce and discuss some examples of computer programs developed with these languages, showing their level of expressiveness. Finally, we reflect on the findings that show the need for the paradigm to evolve having a software development method, to be considered as a formal proposal in Software Engineering.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    “The state of showing what someone thinks or feels,” The Cambridge English Dictionary.

  2. 2.

    A definition of The Cambridge English Dictionary.

  3. 3.

    Definitions of The Oxford English Dictionary and The Cambridge English Dictionary.

  4. 4.

    http://www.osmosian.com/.

  5. 5.

    http://www.pegasus-project.org/en/Welcome.html.

  6. 6.

    A word or group of words functioning in a sentence as subject, object, or prepositional object.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Technological Institute of Orizaba and the University of Veracruz for the support granted to this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Statistics and Informatics, University of Veracruz, Xalapa, Mexico

    Lizbeth A. Hernández-González

  2. Technological Institute of Orizaba, National Technological of Mexico, Orizaba, Mexico

    Ulises Juárez-Martínez & Luisa M. Alducin-Francisco

Authors
  1. Lizbeth A. Hernández-González
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  2. Ulises Juárez-Martínez
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  3. Luisa M. Alducin-Francisco
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lizbeth A. Hernández-González .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas A.C., Unidad Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico

    Jezreel Mejia

  2. Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas A.C., Unidad Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico

    Mirna Muñoz

  3. Departamento de Engenharia Informática, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Álvaro Rocha

  4. Facultad de Informática Mazatlán, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Mazatlán, Mexico

    Yadira Quiñonez

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Hernández-González, L.A., Juárez-Martínez, U., Alducin-Francisco, L.M. (2021). Evolution of Naturalistic Programming: A Need. In: Mejia, J., Muñoz, M., Rocha, Á., Quiñonez, Y. (eds) New Perspectives in Software Engineering. CIMPS 2020. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1297. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63329-5_13

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