Comment by jeremy_wiebe

I think most languages go through a sort of growth phase (or multiple) where the users of the language grow and learn new patterns the language affords. As they learn, the style (idiomaticity??) of the language evolves. Expecting the language designers to anticipate this style from the outset seems almost impossible. I think the approach of starting with a possibly verbose base that provides the options needed and then boiling it down seems appropriate. But IANALD (language designer). :-)