Report Number: CS-TR-75-500
Institution: Stanford University, Department of Computer Science
Title: Towards better structured definitions of programming languages.
Author: Kurki-Suonio, Reino
Date: September 1975
Abstract: The use of abstract syntax and a behavioral model is discussed from the viewpoint of structuring the complexity in definitions of programming languages. A formalism for abstract syntax is presented which reflects the possibility of having one defining occurrence and an arbitrary number of applied occurrences of objects. Attributes can be associated with such a syntax for restricting the set of objects generated, and for defining character string representations and semantic interpretations for the objects. A system of co-operating automata, described by another abstract syntax, is proposed as a behavioral model for semantic definition.
http://i.stanford.edu/pub/cstr/reports/cs/tr/75/500/CS-TR-75-500.pdf