# NATURAL

> programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q536471](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q536471)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/natural

## Summary
NATURAL is a programming language designed for communicating instructions to a machine. It is maintained by Software AG and is distinct from Natural Language in the linguistic sense. The entity is classified specifically as a computer programming language within knowledge bases.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Instance of a programming language.
- **Core Function:** Defined as a language for communicating instructions to a machine.
- **Official Website:** http://www.softwareag.com/corporate/products/natural_2010
- **Wikipedia Presence:** Has a sitelink count of 4 across Wikipedia languages (German, Spanish, French, Portuguese).
- **Freebase ID:** /m/0fmt2h
- **Audio Record:** possesses a French pronunciation audio file available via Lingua Libre.

## FAQs
### Q: What is NATURAL?
A: NATURAL is a programming language used for communicating instructions to a machine. It is distinct from human "natural language" used for daily communication.

### Q: Who maintains NATURAL?
A: Based on its official website structure, NATURAL is associated with Software AG (softwareag.com).

### Q: Is there documentation available in languages other than English?
A: Yes, NATURAL has Wikipedia entries and documentation available in German, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

## Why It Matters
NATURAL holds significance in the landscape of software development as a specialized tool for instructing machines. Unlike ambiguous natural language processing, NATURAL provides a structured syntax for executing specific computational tasks. Its presence across multiple linguistic Wikipedias (German, Spanish, French, Portuguese) indicates a sustained international user base and historical relevance. The existence of a specific corporate product page on the Software AG site confirms its status as a commercial or enterprise-grade technology rather than merely a theoretical concept. By serving as a bridge between human logic and machine execution, it fulfills the essential definition of a programming language while maintaining a distinct identity within major knowledge graphs like Wikidata and Freebase.

## Notable For
- Being a distinct programming language entity often confused with the linguistic concept of "natural language."
- Maintaining a specific product page on the Software AG corporate domain.
- Having a defined French pronunciation entry in the Lingua Libre audio library.
- possessing a persistent identifier in the deprecated Freebase knowledge graph (/m/0fmt2h).

## Body
### Technical Classification
NATURAL is explicitly classified as an **instance of a programming language**. According to its structured data, its primary function is serving as a language for communicating instructions to a machine. It is not categorized as a spoken human language, despite the potential for naming confusion.

### Digital Identifiers and Assets
The entity is tracked through several unique identifiers and digital assets:
- **Website:** The official resource is located at `http://www.softwareag.com/corporate/products/natural_2010`.
- **Freebase ID:** It is indexed under the identifier `/m/0fmt2h` in the Freebase knowledge base.
- **Audio Asset:** A specific pronunciation file is available for the entity in French (`LL-Q150 (fra)-Benoît Prieur-Natural.wav`), hosted on Wikimedia Commons and referenced by Lingua Libre.

### Wikipedia and Global Presence
NATURAL has a verified presence on Wikipedia, though with a limited footprint compared to major global languages. It has a **sitelink count of 4**. The available Wikipedia language editions for this entity are:
- German (de)
- Spanish (es)
- French (fr)
- Portuguese (pt)

## References

1. [Source](https://lingualibre.fr/wiki/Q201041)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013