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http://rubykaigi.org/2015/presentations/SoManyHs When you type print "Hello, world!", how does your computer know what to do? Humans are able to naturally parse spoken language by analyzing the role and meaning of each word in context of its sentence, but we usually take for granted the way computers make sense of the code we write. By exploring the way our brains construct grammars to parse sentences, we can better understand how parsers are used for computering -- whether it be in the way Ruby and other languages are implemented or in webserver routing -- and recognize when they may be the right tool to use in our own code.
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The video titled 'Time flies like an arrow; Fruit flies like a banana: Parsers for Great Good' presented by Hsing-Hui Hsu at RubyKaigi 2015 explores the complexities of parsing in both natural languages and computer languages. It draws parallels between how humans understand language structures and how computers interpret code, focusing on the role of parsers in programming. Key points discussed include: - **Introduction to Parsing**: The speaker begins with a relatable coding example, asking how a computer understands simple commands. This serves to contrast human and computer linguistic processing. - **Understanding Language**: Hsu shares her journey into the world of parsing through her background in teaching English as a foreign language, pointing out how ambiguous terms can lead to confusion in both human language and programming. - **Garden Path Sentences**: The session delves into linguistic phenomena such as garden path sentences, exemplified by the phrase "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana," which illustrates how grammatical structure can lead to misunderstandings. - **Grammatical Structures**: Hsu explains sentence structure in English using tree diagrams to represent the relations between subject, verb, and object, introducing Backus-Naur Form (BNF) as a formal notation for defining programming language grammars. - **Computer Parsing**: The speaker discusses the mechanics of computer parsing, beginning with tokenization through a lexer and transformation into an abstract syntax tree by a parser, highlighting that these processes are similar to how humans process language. - **Practical Application**: Hsu demonstrates how to build a simple parser for mathematical expressions, explaining grammar rules that dictate how these operations should be interpreted. - **Parser Generators**: The video emphasizes the advantages of parser generators that can automate the parser creation process, enhancing readability and accuracy. - **Comparing Methods**: Hsu contrasts regex with parsing techniques, showcasing how parsers manage more complex structures effortlessly compared to regex's limitations. - **Impact on Programming**: The talk concludes by summarizing the advantages of utilizing parsers for improved efficiency in programming and code validation, stressing their importance in both computer science and understanding natural language. In conclusion, the video illustrates that parsers are essential tools that foster greater efficiency in both natural and programming languages, providing insights for developers on when and how to employ them effectively.
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