Node:Quasiquotations, Next:Transformers, Previous:Expression, Up:Formal syntax

Quasiquotations

The following grammar for quasiquote expressions is not context-free. It is presented as a recipe for generating an infinite number of production rules. Imagine a copy of the following rules for D = 1, 2,3, .... D keeps track of the nesting depth.

<quasiquotation> --> <quasiquotation 1>
<qq template 0> --> <expression>
<quasiquotation D> --> `<qq template D>
       | (quasiquote <qq template D>)
<qq template D> --> <simple datum>
       | <list qq template D>
       | <vector qq template D>
       | <unquotation D>
<list qq template D> --> (<qq template or splice D>*)
       | (<qq template or splice D>+ . <qq template D>)
       | '<qq template D>
       | <quasiquotation D+1>
<vector qq template D> --> #(<qq template or splice D>*)
<unquotation D> --> ,<qq template D-1>
       | (unquote <qq template D-1>)
<qq template or splice D> --> <qq template D>
       | <splicing unquotation D>
<splicing unquotation D> --> ,@<qq template D-1>
       | (unquote-splicing <qq template D-1>) 

In <quasiquotation>s, a <list qq template D> can sometimes be confused with either an <unquotation D> or a <splicing unquotation D>. The interpretation as an <unquotation> or <splicing unquotation D> takes precedence.