> fundamental problem with the SQL pattern.

SQL is a DSL and yes, all Domain Specific Languages will only enable what the engine parsing the DSL supports.

But all SQL database I'm aware of let you write custom extensions, which are exactly that: they extend the base functionality of the database with new paradigms. I.e postgis enabling geospatial in postgres or the extensions that enable fuzzy-matching/searching.

And as SQL is pretty much a turing-complete DSL, there is very little you can't do with it, even if the syntax might not agree with everyone