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I read somewhere that the problem of "syntax design", that is choosing how a language requires you to write it, is regarded as "solved", that is we don't need any more constructs or abilities in languages. Whoever it was said that the real problems remaining are speed and size and the other stuff.

I agree that this is the case, but only because Ruby exists. If you haven't tried it then really, please do, I think you'll like it.

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Language design isn't a solved problem until we have a language that enables the average programmer to add any syntax they need. Lisp only comes close by punting and rubbing everyone's nose in the raw parse tree, and the average programmer ritually shuns it anyway.

Ruby doesn't even attempt to solve this problem. You can tell because if it didn't already have try/catch or begin/rescue or case/when, adding them yourself would be impossible.

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