Why do we use English instead of Chinese in programming? Will Chinese programming be possible in the future?

Author: Duan Yuechu

Using English in programming is a very common practice. This is due to the origin and development of programming languages. Early computer scientists and programmers mainly came from English-speaking countries, and they used English to describe and name code functions, variables, and other program elements. This trend began in the 20th century and has become the mainstream in the field of programming today.

There are several advantages to using English programming languages. First, English is a widely used international language, and almost all programmers can understand basic English programming syntax. This facilitates cooperation and communication around the world. Second, English programming languages ​​have a long history, a mature ecosystem, and a large number of programming resources. Whether it is teaching materials, documents, component libraries, or development tools, they are all dominated by English. This provides programmers with a wide range of choices and convenience. Furthermore, the standard libraries and keywords of most programming languages ​​are in English, and programming in English can make it more intuitive to understand and use these functions.

English programming languages ​​are common because they are widely accepted and have become global standards. Programming languages ​​such as C, C++, Python, and Java have transcended national boundaries and have been recognized and applied worldwide. They play an important role in the development process of different fields. Whether it is software development or system architecture, English programming languages ​​are the first choice. This universality has made the use of English programming languages ​​a norm, allowing programmers from different countries and teams to collaborate across borders and understand each other.

With the development of technology, the call for programming in Chinese is also increasing. As one of the most widely used languages ​​in the world, in countries with a large number of Chinese speakers such as China, using English programming languages ​​will bring certain language barriers. Especially for some beginners, using their native programming language may improve learning efficiency and understanding.

However, there are also some challenges to achieving programming in Chinese. First, almost all existing programming languages ​​are based on English, and to fully convert to Chinese programming languages ​​requires changing the existing language architecture and ecosystem. Secondly, Chinese has certain differences and limitations in expressing details and precise concepts compared to English, which may bring some difficulties to the design and use of programming languages. Furthermore, the promotion and popularization of Chinese programming requires a lot of energy and resources to build an education system, write documents, and develop tools.

In summary, although English is the mainstream in programming at present, with the rise of the software development industry in Chinese-speaking countries and the growing demand for programming in Chinese, Chinese programming has a certain feasibility. To realize Chinese programming, we can explore the formulation of Chinese programming language standards and establish a corresponding technical ecosystem. At the same time, we also need to carry out education and promotion work to pave the way for Chinese programming and enable more people to program in their native language.

Currently, Chinese programming is still in its infancy in practical applications. Although there are some attempts and experimental projects in Chinese programming languages, the popularity of Chinese programming is not high enough compared to English programming languages. This is mainly due to the following challenges.

First, there are the grammatical and semantic issues faced by Chinese programming. Compared with English, Chinese has different expressions and structures, which may lead to ambiguity and difficulty in understanding in the design and use of programming languages. For example, the word order and grammatical rules of Chinese are different from those of English, which may affect the writing and interpretation of code. In addition, the polyphonic problem of Chinese characters may also cause semantic ambiguity in programming languages.

Chinese programming faces the problem of building a technology ecosystem. To popularize Chinese programming, corresponding programming languages, tools, and resource support are needed. This includes writing and maintaining standard libraries, documents, and teaching materials for Chinese programming languages, as well as developing integrated development environments (IDEs) and debugging tools suitable for Chinese programming. In addition, a Chinese programming community needs to be established to promote the exchange and development of Chinese programming.

Although Chinese programming faces some challenges, there are also some positive factors in terms of feasibility. First, Chinese is one of the most widely used languages ​​in the world. Using Chinese programming will reduce the learning difficulty for beginners and increase the popularity of programming. Especially for those with limited English proficiency, using their native programming language will improve their learning efficiency and lower the learning threshold.

With the development of artificial intelligence technology, the maturity of natural language processing and machine translation, it is expected that the grammatical and semantic problems faced by Chinese programming will be solved, which will provide strong support for the promotion of Chinese programming.

To achieve the popularization of Chinese programming, we can explore and practice through the following ways. First, we can consider formulating standards and specifications for Chinese programming languages. This requires in-depth research on the grammar and semantics of Chinese to ensure that Chinese programming languages ​​have reliable expression capabilities and consistent grammatical rules.

It is necessary to build a technical ecosystem for Chinese programming. This includes writing standard libraries and documents for Chinese programming languages, providing teaching materials and online resources for Chinese programming, and developing development tools and IDEs suitable for Chinese programming. At the same time, it is necessary to establish a Chinese programming community to promote communication and cooperation in Chinese programming.

We can also explore the application of natural language processing and machine translation technology to Chinese programming. Through automated translation and semantic understanding, Chinese programming can be seamlessly connected with English programming, further improving the ease of use and feasibility of Chinese programming.

As a way to realize programming in Chinese, Chinese programming has certain feasibility. To popularize Chinese programming, it is necessary to solve grammatical and semantic problems, build a complete technical ecosystem, and use the support of technologies such as natural language processing and machine translation. Only in this way can Chinese programming truly become a widely used programming method, allowing more people to program in their native language.