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These English-like words and arithmetic notations make it easy for a programmer to write
the programs. Some early procedural 3GLs are BASIC, PASCAL, C, and FORTRAN. Some other
advanced object-oriented 3GLs are C++, Java, and C#.
Fourth Generation Languages (4GL)
The fourth generation languages also use English-like statements. They specify what the program
should accomplish without explaining how. 4GL is fast and requires less time and effort on the part
of the programmer. In fact, 4GLs are so easy to use that programmers with a very little programming
background can develop programs. Examples of 4GL are SQL, Perl, Python, and Prolog, etc.
Natural Languages (5GL)
Fifth-generation languages, also known as natural languages, are programming languages that
include visual tools to help develop a program. Examples of fifth-generation languages include
Mercury and OPS5. Natural languages are very easy to use.
Natural languages are often associated with expert system and artificial intelligence. These systems
are popular in the medical and scientific fields but are not widely used in business applications.
Advantages of High-Level Languages
Here are some key advantages of using high-level languages:
A high-level language is user-friendly.
A high-level language is similar to the English language with its vocabulary of words and
symbols, making it easier to understand and use for programming.
A high-level language requires less time to write a program.
A high-level language is easier to maintain.
A high-level language is problem-oriented rather than machine-based.
Programs written in a high-level language can be translated into machine language and
therefore it can be run on any computer with an appropriate translator.
A high-level language is machine-independent i.e., programs developed in high-level languages
can be run on any computer.
Disadvantages of High-Level Languages
Here are some notable disadvantages of high-level languages:
A high-level language needs to be changed into machine language by a translator, which
takes up a lot of the computer's time.
The object code generated by a translator might be inefficient as compared to an equivalent
assembly language program.
LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR
A language translator is a program that converts a high-level language or assembly language
into a machine language. There are mainly three types of language translators:
Assembler
An assembler is a program used to translate assembly language into machine language so that
the computer can understand it.
Categories of Computers and Computer Languages 13

