xTalk is a loosely defined family of scripting languages. The mother of all xTalk languages is HyperTalk, the language used by Apple's HyperCard environment.

A verbose semicompiled language by Bill Atkinson and Dan Winkler, with loose syntax and high readability. HyperTalk uses HyperCard as an object management system, development environment and interface builder. Programs are organised into "stacks" of "cards", each of which may have "buttons" and "fields". All data storage is in zero-terminated strings in fields, local, or global variables; all data references are through "chunk expressions" of the form: 'last item of background field "Name List" of card ID 34217'. Flow of control is event-driven and uses message-passing among scripts that are attached to stack, background, card, field and button objects. Apple Computer has taken back distribution and maintenance of HyperCard from Claris Corporation ["HyperTalk Language Reference Manual", A-W 1988]. (1994-11-17)