一句话：介绍大数据编程语言专刊，指出编程语言思想正推动以数据为中心的计算研究，并征集成熟成果。
本文是《大数据编程语言》专刊的编辑导言，指出编程语言思想在数据库高级应用、数据库系统实现、分布式编程（MapReduce）、流式计算以及 GPU/多核高性能计算中发挥重要作用，并正发展为一个以数据为中心的计算子领域。文章回顾了数据库与编程语言交互的长期历史（如 2017 年第 16 届 DBPL），并列举近年 Microsoft Research RADICAL、ICFP XLDI、POPL DDFP/DCM 及 Dagstuhl 研讨会等系列活动，说明该方向重新受到关注且技术范围不断扩展。该专刊旨在认可并鼓励发表这一领域成熟的研究贡献。
Ideas from programming languages play an important role in a range of advanced applications of databases, in database system implementation, distributed programming (MapReduce), streaming computation, and high-performance (GPU/multicore) computation. This creative research area is broadening into a subfield of data-centric computation. Although the interaction of databases and programming has a long history (the 16th biennial Database Programming Languages symposium was held in 2017), there has been a recent renewal of interest and broadening of programming language techniques for dealing with data from several quarters in the last few years, including workshops at Microsoft Research (RADICAL 2010), ICFP (XLDI 2012), POPL (DDFP 2013, DCM 2014) and a Dagstuhl Seminar on Programming Languages for Big Data (December 2014). This special issue recognises and encourages the publication of mature research contributions in this area.