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Re: RE-ASSOC: a question about the associativity of RE concatenation

To: Tom Lord <yyyy@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: RE-ASSOC: a question about the associativity of RE concatenation
From: Isamu Hasegawa <yyyyy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 15:00:05 +0900
Cc: yyyyy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, yyyyyyyyyyyyyy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, yyyyyy@xxxxxxxxxxx, yyyyy@xxxxxxxxxx
References: <200204091857.OAA35259@raptor.research.att.com><200204092229.g39MTeX00802@shade.twinsun.com><200204092254.PAA02436@morrowfield.home><200204092340.g39Neua00876@shade.twinsun.com><uelho8ehm.wl@AMBER.yamato.ibm.com><200204100453.VAA03344@morrowfield.home>
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 21:53:20 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tom Lord <yyyy@xxxxxxxxxxx>

> In other words, to understand what legal constructs are in any of the
> languages, you have to not only read the grammar, but also read the
> text.

I agree that the standard also say "you have to read the text".
However I can't find the reason why the standard doesn't say anything
else.


Let me explain a bit more what I want to say.

The standard says, "Implementations may use other programming languages
or algorithms, as long as the syntax supported is the same as that
represented by the grammar".
(<http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/007904975/utilities/xcu_chap01.html#tag_01_10>)

If RE implementations must use Left-associative grammar, the standard
must say "as long as the grammar is the same", I think.

Then RE implementations may use the grammar except BNF notation.
For example the interpretation (1c) which Paul said is also valid.
And RE implementations may also use Right-associative grammar, since
they describe the same syntax.

On the other hand, perhaps do I miss the sentence which state that
RE implementations must use Left-associative grammar?
If not, I think it isn't necessary to use only Left-associative grammar
as stated above.

Thanks,
-- 
Isamu Hasegawa
IBM Japan, Ltd.

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