All professional languages reach C++'s complexity, which probably is not as complex as PL/I or Algol 68W were for their time.
Python is my favourite example to pick up on this.
Target at beginners and deemed as simple, yet I doubt anyone is able to know Python semantics since version 1.0 and by looking at a random codebase is able to state what is the minimum Python version required to run the code without errors.
Also I very much doubt anyone knows Python's library cover to cover.
Languages get complex because real world has complex needs.
Even Go, the new poster child of simplicity, now has quite a few warts, because not everyone doing software like Google.
Fair enough, and Python is a good example, but I'm guessing Scheme and Smalltalk managed to stay relatively simple over time, although I don't know how much of that would be chalked up to lack of mainstream support.
Python is my favourite example to pick up on this.
Target at beginners and deemed as simple, yet I doubt anyone is able to know Python semantics since version 1.0 and by looking at a random codebase is able to state what is the minimum Python version required to run the code without errors.
Also I very much doubt anyone knows Python's library cover to cover.
Languages get complex because real world has complex needs.
Even Go, the new poster child of simplicity, now has quite a few warts, because not everyone doing software like Google.