I wonder if we're not asking the wrong question here.

Language, it seems to me, is for expression.  If we design a language (as
opposed to allowing it to evolve) then we should have a goal for that language. 
What's the goal here?  Although polymorphism is certainly an interesting
capability shouldn't we be looking at the kinds of tasks we wish to perform? 
Would we demand an artist work in tempra when water color is what expresses the
mood best?

Personally I like the idea of small languages that do some things very very
well.  They are easy to learn because their concepts are clear.  If languages
can agree on ways to intermingle so I can write my image manipulation in one
language and my text in another and my GUI in yet another -- and have them work
together intimately and EASILY -- then I think we have a software system which
is about expression first and language second.


I'd love to easily, trivially, combine Smalltalk, Perl, Fortran, Obj-C and be
able to easily explore other languages in this same context: it becomes easy to
grow.

Adam Bridge