Why are many languages case sensitive?

Question

Why are many languages case sensitive?

Is it simply a matter of inheritance? C++ is case-sensitive because C is, Java is case-sensitive because C++ is, etc.? Or is t

Answer 1

Many (non-programming) languages (e.g. European using the Roman alphabet) are case-sensitive, so it's natural for native speakers of those languages to use upper- / lower-case distinctions.

The very idea that programming languages wouldn't be case-sensitive is a historical artifact arising from the limitations of early-generation hardware (including pre-computer teletype machines that used a 5-bit character code).

People who argue for case-blind languages must be unable to distinguish

IAmNowHere

from

IAmNowhere

(It's a joke! ;-)