Which languages? In most languages I'm aware of you couldn't even get away with breaking comments using pipes.
Most other languages dont use pipes because they parse the statement/syntax then they parse the commands and ignores the comments without leaving/eating anything that obstructs the statement/syntax its self.
example: <?php if (1 == 2) { echo 'one'; /* soming */ echo 'two'; } else { echo 'false'; } ?>
the fact is that it's not a case where the designers of those languages flipped a coin and ended up doing it that way - it's a purposeful design characteristic which benefits anyone who has to read or maintain code.
thats true altho doesnt mean there isnt room for improvement.
