<basic symbol>

──┬─<letter>────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─<digit>─────┤
  └─<delimiter>─┘

<letter>

Any one of the uppercase (capital) letters A through Z, or any one of the lowercase letters a through z.

<digit>

Any one of the Arabic numerals 0 through 9.

<delimiter>

──┬─<bracket>──┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─<operator>─┤
  └─<space>────┘

<bracket>

──┬─ ( ─────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ ) ─────┤
  ├─ [ ─────┤
  ├─ ] ─────┤
  ├─ " ─────┤
  ├─ BEGIN ─┤
  ├─ END ───┤
  ├─ ; ─────┤
  ├─ LB ────┤
  └─ RB ────┘

<parameter delimiter>

── )"<letter string>"( ────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

<letter string>

Any character string not containing a quotation mark (").

<operator>

──┬─<arithmetic operator>───────────┬──────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─<logical operator>──────────────┤
  ├─<relational operator>───────────┤
  ├─<string concatenation operator>─┤
  ├─ := ────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ :=: ───────────────────────────┤
  └─ & ─────────────────────────────┘

<arithmetic operator>

──┬─ + ─────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ - ─────┤
  ├─ * ─────┤
  ├─ TIMES ─┤
  ├─ MUX ───┤
  ├─ / ─────┤
  ├─ DIV ───┤
  ├─ MOD ───┤
  └─ ** ────┘

<logical operator>

──┬─ NOT ──┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ AND ──┤
  ├─ CAND ─┤
  ├─ OR ───┤
  ├─ ! ────┤
  ├─ ^ ────┤
  ├─ COR ──┤
  ├─ EQV ──┤
  └─ IMP ──┘

<relational operator>

──┬─<string relational operator>─┬─────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ IS ─────────────────────────┤
  └─ ISNT ───────────────────────┘

<string relational operator>

──┬─ LEQ ─┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  ├─ <= ──┤
  ├─ LSS ─┤
  ├─ < ───┤
  ├─ EQL ─┤
  ├─ = ───┤
  ├─ NEQ ─┤
  ├─ ^= ──┤
  ├─ GTR ─┤
  ├─ > ───┤
  ├─ GEQ ─┤
  └─ >= ──┘

<string concatenation operator>

──┬─ CAT ─┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  └─ !! ──┘

<space>

  ┌◄───────────────┐
──┴─<single space>─┴───────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

<single space>

One blank character.

The compiler does not make a distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters. Individual letters do not have particular meanings except as used in pictures and formats.

Digits are used to form numbers, identifiers, and string literals.

Delimiters include operators, spaces, and brackets. An important function of these elements is to delimit the various entities that make up a program. Each delimiter has a fixed meaning, which, if not obvious, is explained in this manual in the syntax of appropriate constructs. Basic symbols that are words, such as some delimiters and operators, are reserved for specific use in the language. A complete list of these words, called reserved words, and details of the applicable restrictions are given in Reserved Words.

Reserved words and basic symbols are used, together with variables and numbers, to form expressions, statements, and declarations. Because some of these constructs place programmer-defined identifiers next to delimiters composed of letters, these identifiers and delimiters must be separated. Therefore, a space must separate any two language components of the following forms:

Aside from these requirements, the use of a space between any two language components is optional. The meanings of the two language components are not affected by the presence or absence of the space.