0. #lang racket
1.  
2. (define (count_symbols lst)
3.   (cond
4.     [(null? lst) 0]                         ; empty list → 0
5.     [(symbol? lst) 1]                       ; symbol → count 1
6.     [(pair? lst)                           ; list → recurse
7.      (+ (count_symbols (car lst))
8.         (count_symbols (cdr lst)))]
9.     [else 0]))                              ; everything else → 0
10. (count_symbols
11.  '(A random (list containing some
12.             (words (to exemplify a (nested)) structure))))

=>

11