Editing Metasyntactic variable (section)

==Common metasyntactic variables==
Since English is the foundation language or [[lingua franca]] of most computer programming languages, variables that originate in English are commonly seen even in programs and examples of programs written for other spoken-language audiences.

The variables used in a particular context may depend on subcultures that develop around [[programming language]]s.

===General usage===
Metasyntactic variables used commonly across all programming languages include ''[[foobar]]'', ''foo'', ''bar'', ''baz'', ''{{not a typo|qux}}'', ''{{not a typo|quux}}'', ''{{not a typo|corge}}'', ''{{not a typo|grault}}'', ''{{not a typo|garply}}'', ''{{not a typo|waldo}}'', ''{{not a typo|fred}}'', ''{{not a typo|[[plugh]]}}'', ''[[xyzzy (computing)|{{not a typo|xyzzy}}]]'', and ''thud''.<ref name="RFC3092"/><ref>{{cite mailing list|title=Metasyntactic variable|first=Stuart|last=Laughlin|date=November 18, 2016|access-date=November 18, 2016|url=https://www.progclub.org/pipermail/programming/2016-November/002305.html|mailing-list=programming@ProgClub|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202085628/https://www.progclub.org/pipermail/programming/2016-November/002305.html|archive-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref> Two of these words, ''plugh'' and ''xyzzy'', are taken from the game ''[[Colossal Cave Adventure]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://jerz.setonhill.edu/if/crowther/advdat.77-03-11 |title=advdat.77-03-11 |last=Crowther |first=Will |date=1977-03-11 |website= Colossal Cave Adventure Source Code |publisher=Dennis G. Jerz |access-date=2024-02-28}}</ref>

A fuller reference can be found in ''[[The Hacker's Dictionary]]'' from [[MIT Press]].

===Japanese===
In Japanese, the words {{Transliteration|ja|hoge}} (ほげ)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/hoge|title=hogeの意味・使い方 - 英和辞典 Weblio 辞書|website=ejje.weblio.jp}}</ref> and {{Transliteration|ja|fuga}} (ふが) are commonly used, with other common words and variants being {{Transliteration|ja|piyo}} (ぴよ), {{Transliteration|ja|hogera}} (ほげら), and {{Transliteration|ja|hogehoge}} (ほげほげ).<ref name="ja">[[:ja:メタ構文変数|メタ構文変数]] {{in lang|ja}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=September 2017}} The origin of {{Transliteration|ja|hoge}} as a metasyntactic variable is not known, but it is believed to date to the early 1980s.<ref name="ja" />

===French===
In France, the word ''toto'' is widely used, with variants ''tata'', ''titi'', ''tutu'' as related placeholders. One commonly-raised source for the use of ''toto'' is a reference to the stock character used to tell jokes with [[Tête à Toto]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

===Turkish===
In Turkey, the words ''hede'' and ''hödö'' (usually spelt ''hodo'' due to [[ASCII]]-only naming constraints of programming languages) are well-known metasyntactic variables that stem from popular humorous cartoon magazines of the 90's like LeMan. The words do not mean anything, and are used for precisely that reason. The terms were popularized more widely by the actor and stand-up comedian [[Cem Yılmaz]] in the late 90's and early 2000's.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dRxdDwAAQBAJ&dq=hede+h%C3%B6d%C3%B6&pg=PA12 |title=LeMan Dergisi 1376. Sayı |publisher=Lm Basin Yayin Ltd.şti. |language=tr}}</ref>

===Italian===
In Italian software programming culture, it is common to encounter names of Walt Disney characters (as found in the Italian versions of the shows) being used as variables. These names often appear in pseudo-code, are referenced in software engineering classes, and are commonly employed when explaining algorithms to colleagues. Among the most frequently used are "pippo" (Goofy), "pluto," and "paperino" (Donald Duck).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/M/metasyntactic-variable.html|title=The Jargon File - metasyntactic variable|website=www.catb.org/}}</ref>