Silly newbie question - Caret character (^)

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

In message <mailman.716.1289144941.2218.python-list at python.org>, Emile van 
Sebille wrote:

> On 11/7/2010 2:26 AM Lawrence D'Oliveiro said...
>> In message<pan.2010.11.06.23.19.11.0 at nowhere.com>, Nobody wrote:
>>
>>> A reference manual tells you how to use the language. A specification
>>> tells you how to implement it.
>>
>> Speaking as someone who has read more reference
>> manuals/specifications/whatever you want to call them than I can count, I
>> have never come across any such distinction.
> 
> Surely you see the difference between RFC5321 and for example Courier's
> man pages?  One's the specification and the other's the reference manual.

The language in question being ... ?