Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!bronze!copper!harlan
From: harlan@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (Pete Harlan)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.functional
Subject: Re: thunk's
Message-ID: <harlan.672371659@copper>
Date: 23 Apr 91 01:54:19 GMT
References: <1991Apr19.064216.23597@gucis.sct.gu.edu.au> <1151@creatures.cs.vt.edu>
Sender: news@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: Indiana University
Lines: 17

>I have a question that has been nagging me for quite some time: why do we
>call closures "thunk"s?  I mean, where did that word come from?  The only
>two theories I've heard, neither with *any* supporting evidence, are that
>it is an anagram for Knuth, and that perhaps it is a facetious past tense
>of "think".  Anyone know??

"The word _thunk_ derives from the implementation of call-by-name in
Algol 60.  We do not know the origin of this name, but we have heard
that it refers to the sound made by data when pushed onto the stack in
a running Algol system."

  ---Abelson and Sussman, "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs"

Well, there you are! :-)

Pete Harlan
harlan@copper.ucs.indiana.edu