changeset 38209:4ad633feb6bf

Add Balanced Expressions. Add Expressions. Update entries for Sexp and Defun, and other uses of them. because those terms have been partly deprecated. Update entry for Balance Parentheses. Update some xrefs.
author Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
date Tue, 26 Jun 2001 13:30:29 +0000
parents 537f173f694c
children 30a4ce47105b
files man/glossary.texi
diffstat 1 files changed, 24 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-) [+]
line wrap: on
line diff
--- a/man/glossary.texi	Tue Jun 26 13:26:51 2001 +0000
+++ b/man/glossary.texi	Tue Jun 26 13:30:29 2001 +0000
@@ -66,11 +66,17 @@
 track down or cancel changes you later regret making.  @xref{Backup}.
 
 @item Balance Parentheses
-Emacs can balance parentheses manually or automatically.  Manual
-balancing is done by the commands to move over balanced expressions
-(@pxref{Lists}).  Automatic balancing is done by blinking or
-highlighting the parenthesis that matches one just inserted
-(@pxref{Matching,,Matching Parens}).
+Emacs can balance parentheses (or other matching delimiters) either
+manually or automatically.  Manual balancing is done by the commands
+to move over parenthetical groupings (@pxref{Moving by Parens}).
+Automatic balancing is done by blinking or highlighting the delimiter
+that matches the one you just inserted (@pxref{Matching,,Matching
+Parens}).
+
+@item Balanced Expressions
+A balanced expression is a syntactically recognizable expression, such
+as a symbol, number, string constant, block, parenthesized expression
+in C.  @xref{Expressions,Balanced Expressions}.
 
 @item Balloon Help
 See `tooltips.'
@@ -290,9 +296,9 @@
 @xref{Minibuffer File,Default Directory}.
 
 @item Defun
-A defun is a list at the top level of parenthesis or bracket structure
-in a program.  It is so named because most such lists in Lisp programs
-are calls to the Lisp function @code{defun}.  @xref{Defuns}.
+A defun is a major definition at the top level in a program.  The name
+comes from Lisp, where most such definitions use the construct
+@code{defun}.  @xref{Defuns}.
 
 @item @key{DEL}
 @key{DEL} is a character that runs the command to delete one character of
@@ -399,6 +405,9 @@
 typed), you press the @key{ESC} key as you would press a letter key, and
 it applies to the next character you type.
 
+@item Expression
+See `balanced expression.'
+
 @item Expunging
 Expunging an Rmail file or Dired buffer or a Gnus newsgroup buffer is an
 operation that truly discards the messages or files you have previously
@@ -674,7 +683,7 @@
 and other non-Lisp modes, groupings surrounded by other kinds of matched
 delimiters appropriate to the language, such as braces, are also
 considered lists.  Emacs has special commands for many operations on
-lists.  @xref{Lists}.
+lists.  @xref{Moving by Parens}.
 
 @item Local
 Local means ``in effect only in a particular context''; the relevant
@@ -1044,11 +1053,11 @@
 @xref{Sentences}.
 
 @item Sexp
-A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of Lisp
-in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom.  Many Emacs commands
-operate on sexps.  The term `sexp' is generalized to languages other
-than Lisp, to mean a syntactically recognizable expression, such as a
-block or a parenthesized expression in C.  @xref{Lists,Sexps}.
+A sexp (short for ``s-expression'') is the basic syntactic unit of
+Lisp in its textual form: either a list, or Lisp atom.  Sexps are also
+the balanced expressions (q.v.@:) of the Lisp language; this is why
+the commands for editing balanced expressions have `sexp' in their
+name.  @xref{Expressions,Sexps}.
 
 @item Simultaneous Editing
 Simultaneous editing means two users modifying the same file at once.
@@ -1160,7 +1169,7 @@
 @item Transposition
 Transposing two units of text means putting each one into the place
 formerly occupied by the other.  There are Emacs commands to transpose
-two adjacent characters, words, sexps (q.v.@:) or lines
+two adjacent characters, words, balanced expressions (q.v.@:) or lines
 (@pxref{Transpose}).
 
 @item Truncation