Agree with #1.
I think Elm is probably the best functional language in this regard. Contains all the important bits yet is small and opinionated enough to be easily readable.
If only weren't web only and run as a private project. An elm like language with llvm backend would be amazing
I think Elm gets old after a couple weeks when you realize how handicapped it is as a language. Personally, I think something like Reason/OCaml is a great place to start. Haskell is a good choice too but laziness adds an additional hurdle. The core of Haskell is actually pretty simple; it's algebraic data types, parametric polymorphism, and typeclasses.
> If only weren't web only and run as a private project.
If only weren't web only and run as a private project. An elm like language with llvm backend would be amazing