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(emacs-lisp-intro.info)Lisp Interpreter

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The Lisp Interpreter
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   Based on what we have seen, we can now start to figure out what the
Lisp interpreter does when we command it to evaluate a list.  First, it
looks to see whether there is a quote before the list; if there is, the
interpreter just gives us the list.  On the other hand, if there is no
quote, the interpreter looks at the first element in the list and sees
whether it has a function definition.  If it does, the interpreter
carries out the instructions in the function definition.  Otherwise,
the interpreter prints an error message.

   This is how Lisp works.  Simple.  There are added complications
which we will get to in a minute, but these are the fundamentals.  Of
course, to write Lisp programs, you need to know how to write function
definitions and attach them to names, and how to do this without
confusing either yourself or the computer.

Complications

Variables, Special forms, Lists within.

Byte Compiling

Specially processing code for speed.