Combinators

A combinator is a function or operator that only refers to its arguments and operands without modifying them in any way.

SymbolAPL expressionBird(1)TinyAPLDiagram
I \mathrm I yIdentity/Same diagram diagram
K \mathrm K xKestrelLeft diagram diagram
κ \kappa yKiteRight diagram diagram
W \mathrm W y F yWarblerDuplicate diagram diagram
C \mathrm C y F xCardinalCommute diagram diagram
B \mathrm B F (G y)Bluebird//Compose diagram diagram
Q \mathrm Q G (F y)QueerReverse Compose diagram diagram
B 1 {\mathrm B}_1 F (x G y)BlackbirdAtop diagram diagram
Ψ \Psi (G x) F (G y)PsiOver diagram diagram
S \mathrm S y F (G y)Starling/Right Hook diagram diagram
Σ \Sigma (F y) G yViolet Starling/Left Hook diagram diagram
D \mathrm D x F (G y)Dove/After diagram diagram
Δ \Delta (F x) G yZebra Dove/Before diagram diagram
Φ \Phi (F y) G (H y)Phoenix«»Fork (monad) diagram diagram
Φ 1 \Phi_1 (x F y) G (x H y)Pheasant«»Fork (dyad) diagram diagram
D 2 {\mathrm D}_2 (F x) G (H y)Dovekie + Bracket diagram diagram
P \mathrm P (y G x) F (x G y)Parrot(2)Mirror diagram diagram
N \mathrm N x F (x G y)Eastern NicatorRight Fork diagram diagram
ν \mathrm \nu (x F y) G yWestern NicatorLeft Fork diagram diagram

Additionally, some other primitives have combinator-like behavior:

APL expressionTinyAPLDiagram
nConstant (monad) diagram diagram
nConstant (dyad) diagram diagram
F yValences (monad) diagram diagram
x G yValences (dyad) diagram diagram

Footnotes

  1. Some combinators have bird names, originating from To Mock a Mockingbird by Raymond Smullyan. Some of the bird names are taken from the Uiua combinator page.

  2. I made this one up.