I'm probably going to be required to use an ALGOL or two (C, Java, or Python) in the second half of next year for some course work. If given the opportunity I'd prefer to understand them rather than attempting to use search and induction. Simplifying is a good aid to this. I know C has the 89 ANSI standard, but do these other two languages have anything close to an inalienable core? Perhaps some older version, or well defined subset?