Type Algebras, Functor Categories, and Block Structure

Abstract

In this paper we outline a category-theoretic approach to the semantics of ALGOL-like languages in which particular attention is paid to the use of functor categories as a mechanism to reflect stack discipline.

Also, we explore the idea that implicit conversions can be modelled by making the phrase types of a language into a poset, and we show how any poset freely generates a type algebra.