title: What is the meaning of the planned "private protected" C# access modifier?
body: <p>As part of the <a href="https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn" rel="noreferrer">Roslyn</a> documentation on GitHub, there's a page called <a href="https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn/wiki/Languages-features-in-C%23-6-and-VB-14" rel="noreferrer">Language feature implementation status</a>, with planned language features for C# and VB.</p>
  
  <p>One feature I couldn't wrap my head around was <code>private protected</code> access modifier:</p>
  
  <pre><code>private protected string GetId() { … } 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>There is also a page of <a href="https://github.com/dotnet/csharplang/tree/master/meetings/2014" rel="noreferrer">C# Language Design Notes</a>, which explains many new features, but not this one.</p>
  
  <p>Eric Lippert said in a <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1063901/why-is-internal-protected-not-more-restrictive-than-internal#comment876691_1063901">comment</a>:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Your error is in thinking of the modifiers as increasing restrictions. The modifiers in fact always decrease restrictions. Remember, things are "private" by default; only by adding modifiers do you make them less restricted.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>What is the meaning of <code>private protected</code>? When might I use it?</p>