To be clear, you are referring to the preface to "An Introduction to Array Programming in Klong", right? Having just checked it, I find this to be a very strange angle of attack, because that section is almost exclusively about why the syntax in particular is important. Obviously you disagree (I also think the syntax is overblown, and wish more writing focused on APL's semantic advantages over other array-oriented languages). I think this is a simple difference in taste and there's no need to reach so far for another explanation.