## a literal list in list context
$ perl -le " print( qw/ a b c d / )"
abcd

## a literal list in scalar context
$ perl -le " print( scalar qw/ a b c d / )"
d

## a literal list in lvalue list context 
## a literal list in  list context  ( the left hand side list also happens to be an lvalue)
## a literal list in  list assignment (list context  )
$ perl -le " print( ( $q ) = qw/ a b c d / )"
a

## null list in scalar context counts, counting a list literal
$ perl -le " print( $q = () = qw/ a b c d / )"
4

## null list in scalar context counts, counting a "list"
$ perl -le " @f = qw/ a b c d /; print( $q = () = @f )"
4
## null list in scalar context counts
$ perl -le " print( scalar( () = qw/ a b c d / ) )"
4

## null list in list context discards (using literal list)
$ perl -le " print( () = qw/ a b c d / )"

## null list in list context discards (the array kind of list )
$ perl -le " @f = qw/ a b c d /; print( () = @f )"