Not able to be parsed

[BillyRayPreachersSon]

If something is not able to be parsed, would I be able to say that it is not parseable, parsable, parse-able, or are those all made-up words that just sound like they might be right?

On dictionary.com, the phrase "does not parse easily" is used as an alternative...I just wondered if there was one word that would do the job.

Thanks,
Dan


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[CajunCenturion]

==> If something is not able to be parsed,
Perhaps we should ask whether or not the premise is valid.

Are we talking about something which cannot be parsed? Or are we talking about something which cannot be parsed without error? Even though errors may exist, parsing still happens. Granted, I'm in a compiler mindset, so I must ask,

BillyRayPreachersSon - What is it that cannot be parsed?

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[2ffat]

I agree that it has to be imparseable but most people would just think you meant impossible.

Reminds me of the story that the US Constitution was almost vetoed when they couldn't agree on whether it was "inalienable" or "unalienable."


James P. Cottingham
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[donbott]

If you can't parse anything else, could you at least parse the potatos?

Thanks

DonBott

 

[GwydionM]

How about Parsifal?

------------------------------
An old man who lives in the UK

 

[Thadeus]

CC, wouldn't these un-words mean "not" in the same manner as unparsable means not parsable.

undrinkable
unscaleable
unassailable
unbelievable

~Thadeus

 

[CajunCenturion]

Sure, they would, which is why in my original post I said, "more often than not". Remember, my original post was in response to the claim that using the 'un-' prefix in this case would be following the rules of English.

To reiterate, in practice, when choosing a negative prefix for action verbs to mean 'incapable of action', and their derivatives, 'un-' is generally not the first choice because 'un-' usually implies action reversal.

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[PaulTEG]

Sometimes it's quicker to market just going on the tools you know ...

Spend an hour a week on CPAN, helps cure all known programming ailments ;-)

 

[BillyRayPreachersSon]

What is it that cannot be parsed?

Broken JavaScript code: thread216-1158685

I settled for "couldn't parse it" in the end!

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[SilentAiche]

could you at least parse the potatos

Too damn funny!

Tim

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[Jomama46]

Oi! Parse me half an asprin.

Jomama

 

[Trevoke]

CajunCenturion, while I totally agree with you that "to do" and "to undo" are exactly the same as "to parse" and "to unparse" (i.e., action reversals), how exactly is your reaction to my post relevant? "parsable" is an adjective, is it not? Then, unparsable is still correct.

-Haben sie fosforos?
-No tiengo caballero, but I have un briquet.

 

[CajunCenturion]

I know we're talking about neologisms, but it's a good discussion about word formation.

Yes, 'parsable' is an adjective, but it is formed from the base verb 'to parse'. Similarly, 'undoing' and 'unparsing' are noun forms of the same verbs. I don't think the definition of the prefix 'un-', or any prefix or suffix for that matter, should vary in definition from the verb to the inflected parts of speech. If 'un-' means reversal for the verb, then it should mean reversal for the adjective and noun as well. It is, in my opinion, the lack of consistency in the definition of the prefix 'un-' across the conjugation of the verb that suggests that 'un-' is the wrong prefix if un-parseable is to mean "incapable of being parsed".

Since we are talking about neologisms and the discussion space is wide open, you said, " unparsable would be the closest to a proper word if you follow the oft-ignored rules of the english language.". If there are ignored rules that apply, then what rules, if not ignored, suggest that 'unparseable' would be correct for the desired definition? Please make your case.

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[Trevoke]

Okay, but keep in mind that I wasn't an english major, that english isn't my first language, and that all of this comes from nothing more than a knack for understanding languages and their templates. I only speak three languages fluently and I don't practice enough for the fourth. I don't know if any of those rules are hard-and-fast; they're just my observations. I retain the right to be wrong.

Firstly, "imparsable" is most likely to be correct (eg "impossible", as has been pointed out), however, something about that word rubs me the wrong way. Try saying it and you'll hopefully understand what I mean.

Secondly, "parsable" has to be correct, because the 'e' gets dropped (eg "judgmental"). I can't think of any counter-examples, but the fun part of language is that a counter-example does not break a rule... It's merely an exception.

As far as my idea, "unparsable". Now, we go back to what you said, and I believe that the reason you are right is that 'p' is a hard consonant (unlikable, etc). You can go to

http://www.m-w.com

and look up 'unlikable' -- it'll offer you to look at "un-" . The definition will, I think, prove you right.

Regardless, based solely on the fact that language has to be spoken, I can't regard "imparsable" as correct, while "unparsable" rolls easily off of my tongue.

That's all I've got, unless I think of something more later..

-Haben sie fosforos?
-No tiengo caballero, but I have un briquet.

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> I retain the right to be wrong.
Me too.

Those are some good points. As far as your second point, I completely agree that 'parsable' is correct.

For your third point, the 'p' comes into play for a different prefix. It is not 'un-', but 'in-', meaning not. It is the 'in-' prefix that becomes 'im-' before b, m, or p, 'ir-' before r and 'il-' before l.

For this verb, the question really boils down to which prefix to use in this case. Should it be 'un-' or 'in-'? Latin suggests using 'in-' because 'parse' has Latin roots and for Latin words, 'in-' is generally used to as the not prefix.

However, I think I can make a case for unparsable being correct, and part of that answer revolves around the verb 'to unparse'? Can you unparse something? Is 'unparse' a legitimate verb? You cannot unthink, so unthinkable works fine. You cannot unreason, so there is nothing wrong with being unreasonable (at least linguistically). You cannot unlike something, so it's perfectly reasonable for something to be unlikable. If the verb cannot be undone, then there is no consistency violation in using the 'un-' prefix to mean 'incapable of' when applied to infected forms of the verb.

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[Trevoke]

That was also my thought; I figured that it would be very scary to meet someone or something that could 'unparse', but then I thought.. What is 'unparsing', if not just forgetting the data? I guess I'm taking a shortcut, though, unparsing would probably involve... A backward type of parsing which involves disunderstanding the data. Okay, my head hurts now.

-Haben sie fosforos?
-No tiengo caballero, but I have un briquet.

 

[CajunCenturion]

If you accept the notion that unparsing is valid, or that 'to unparse' is a valid verb, then I think you pretty much force yourself into using the 'in-' prefix to mean 'incapable' because the 'un-' prefix is a reversal. Conversly, if you accept 'unparsable' as a valid adjective, meaning incapable of, then you're pretty much accepting that you cannot unparse.

English is full of exceptions.

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[Trevoke]

I'm perfectly OK with the concept that something cannot be unparsed.
You've read it, you can't unread it.

-Haben sie fosforos?
-No tiengo caballero, but I have un briquet.