JSON is built on two structures:

• A collection of name/value pairs. In various languages, this is realized as an object, record, struct, dictionary, hash table, keyed list, or associative array.
• An ordered list of values. In most languages, this is realized as an array, vector, list, or sequence.

These are universal data structures. Virtually all modern programming languages support them in one form or another. It makes sense that a data format that is interchangeable with programming languages also be based on these structures. 

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The last sentence in the above definition begs a number of questions. 

1. Does it then follow that a data format should ONLY be based on those 2 structures.

2. If a data format such as XML, or RDF deals has programming language support for the data structures they deal in why should JSON supplant such formats and their usage.

3. A relational database is not a programming language and a relation is neither collection of name/value pairs nor an ordered list. So why should my relational database speak JSON.