1. Introduction. - 1. 1. Syntax semantics and pragmatics. - 1. 2. The purposes of formal semantics. - 1. 3. Denotational semantics. - 1. 4. Abstract entities and their description. - 2. A first example: the language TINY. - 2. 1. Informal syntax of TINY. - 2. 2. Informal semantics of TINY. - 2. 3. An example. - 2. 4. Formal semantics of TINY. - 3. General concepts and notation. - 3. 1. Abstract syntax. - 3. 2. Sets and domains. - 3. 3. Defining domains. - 3. 4. Functions. - 4. Denotational description of TINY. - 4. 1. Abstract syntax. - 4. 2. Semantics. - 5. Standard semantics. - 5. 1. Continuations. - 5. 2. Locations stores and environments. - 5. 3. Standard domains of values. - 5. 4. Blocks declarations and scope. - 5. 5. Standard domains of continuations. - 5. 6. Standard semantic functions. - 5. 7. Continuation transforming functions. - 5. 8. Assignments and L and R values. - 5. 9. Procedures and functions. - 5. 10 Non standard semantics and concurrency. - 6. A second example: the language SMALL. - 6. 1. Syntax of SMALL. - 6. 2. Semantics of SMALL. - 6. 3. A worked example. - 7. Escapes and jumps. - 7. 1. Escapes. - 7. 2. Jumps. - 8. Various kinds of procedures and functions. - 8. 1. Procedures (or functions) with zero or more parameters. - 8. 2. Recursive procedures and functions. - 8. 3. Static and dynamic binding. - 8. 4. Parameter passing mechanisms. - 8. 5. Procedure calling mechanisms. - 8. 6. Summary of calling and passing mechanisms. - 8. 7. Procedure and function denoting expressions (abstractions). - 8. 8. Declaration binding mechanisms. - 9. Data structures. - 9. 1. References. - 9. 2. Arrays. - 9. 3. Records. - 9. 4. Data structure valued expressions. - 9. 5. Files. - 10. Iteration constructs. - 10. 1. repeat C until E. - 10. 2. Event loops. - 10. 3. For-statements. - 11. Own-variables. - 11. 1. The within construct. - 11. 2. Different interpretations of ALGOL 60 own-variables. - 11. 3. Semantics of own-variables. - 12. Types. - 12. 1. Various kinds of types. - 12. 2. Well-typed programs and type-checking. - 12. 3. The semantics of types. - Appendix: Remarks for instructors and sample exercises. - Sample exercises. - References. - Subject and Author Index. - Symbols. Language: English