Conference thebay::joyoflex

    >In the formal grammar world one might use the term "well-formed" to
    >indicate a sentence that obeys the rules of the grammar
    
    I've never heard the word "well-formed" for that.
    Either a string is a sentence or it is not.
    Either a string is in the language or it is not.
    Either a string is accepted by a machine or it is rejected.
    
    Since less formal, programming or command languages, etc., are more
    commonly used, the more common expressions are that a string is
    legal or illegal
    >, but that 
    >doesn't apply here -- there are well-formed sentences that won't parse 
    >due to deficiencies in the parser.
    
    So you might say "an accepted string" or "a rejected string."
    Or "recognized" or "unrecognized."
    
    Or "recognizable," but both "recognizable" and "parsable" seem to
    imply that you consider the parser to be accurate.

I vote for "parsible".  It looks right; it sounds right; I'm guessing
that most speakers of English who know what 'parse' means will presume
that 'parsible' means what you want.

Dave C.

  I agree with Dave C. but I'd spell it "parsable" (there is precedent
  for either spelling of course).

  If you want to get really obscure, you might consult "Godel, Escher, Bach"
  by Douglas Hofstadter.  He invented lots of new and bizarre terminology for 
  operations on well-formed strings.

  JP

    There is only one way to determine if a sentence is parse-able,
    and that is to parse it, so...
    
    						Ann B.

    A string went into a bar and asked for a drink.
    The bartender looked at the string incredulously.
    "You're a piece of string!" the bartender said pointedly.
    "OK, in that case, I don't need a drink," said the string.
    "How about some food?"
    The bartender said "Sorry, we don't serve strings here,"
    took out his scissors, and severed the string a few times.
    
    Another string came into the bar and asked for some food.
    The bartender looked at the string.
    "Did you see what happened to your friend a moment ago?"
    The string looked worried.  "No, I'm afraid not."
    The bartender took out his scissors...
    
    A thick piece of rope came into the bar and asked for some food.
    The bartender looked at the rope menacingly.
    The rope coiled itself into a noose shape and stared back ominously.
    "I'm well formed now!" it pronounced.
    The bartender gave it a piece of parsely.

  Ann,

  Something like that occurred to me when I tried to replace "parse"
  with "analyze."  But your "parsed" seems to miss the question of
  success or failure.  Or perhaps possibility as opposed to impossibility.

  Consider the case of a substance to be chemically analysed.  If I
  try to determine the elements composing that substance -- and fail --
  have I analyzed the substance?  Similarly if I try to parse a string
  but can't make sense of it....  Have I parsed it unsuccessfully or have
  I failed to parse it?

  JP

    "parsable" might be more decipherable to the uninitiated, but if you
    wanted to make things less decipherible then go with "parsible".
    
    re: .1
>    Since less formal, programming or command languages, etc., are more
>    commonly used, the more common expressions are that a string is
>    legal or illegal
    
    commonly used, perhaps, but I find it consistently rankles despite a 
    general lack of fondness for attorneys...legality is determined by 
    several factors, including statutes and their interpretation, jurisdiction,
    enforcement or lack thereof...what is wrong with plain vanilla 
    "valid" or "invalid"?  
    
    I've yet to be arrested for any of my illegal command strings.
    
    Wow! Sorry, didn't mean to soapbox.

    Re .6
>  Consider the case of a substance to be chemically analysed.  If I
>  try to determine the elements composing that substance -- and fail --
>  have I analyzed the substance?
    No.
    
>  Similarly if I try to parse a string
>  but can't make sense of it....  Have I parsed it unsuccessfully or have
>  I failed to parse it?
    You have failed to parse it.
    
    Re .7
>  I've yet to be arrested for any of my illegal command strings.
    Well, we could display error messages in flashing double-bright
    video, and then perhaps you'd find them more arresting.

I have a dictionary (Collins English) that lists "parsable".

Ian