Re:Parameter or Argument?
by zeveb on Thursday July 14, 2016 @10:49AM
(#12094268)
Then there's Common Lisp, where a variable is assigned only the first time it's defined, while a parameter is assigned every time its definition form is evaluated: http://clhs.lisp.se/Body/m_defpar.htm.
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The meaning of parameters and arguments in the context of functions, which is what this post is about, are defined as usual[1]:
> argument n. 1. (of a function) an object which is offered as data to the function when it is called.
> parameter n. 1. (of a function) a variable in the definition of a function which takes on the value of a corresponding argument (or of a list of corresponding arguments) to that function when it is called, or which in some cases is given a default value because there is no corresponding argument.
What you describe are the two possible ways of defining special variables, which are more like program parameters.
[1] http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/HyperSpec/Body/26_glo..., http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/HyperSpec/Body/26_glo...