use 5.14.0;
use warnings;

sub my_splice_like_func
{
    my ($list, @args) = @_;
    my @copy = @$list;
    return splice @copy, @args;         # this doesn't actually work :-(
}

$, = ' ';                               # just keepin' it pretty

my $list = [qw< one two three four >];
say my_splice_like_func($list, 2);      # want "three four"; get "two three four"
say my_splice_like_func($list, 2, -1);  # want "three"; get "three four"

##</code><code>##

    if (@args == 0)
    {   
        return @copy;
    }
    elsif (@args == 1)
    {   
        return splice @copy, $args[0];
    }
    elsif (@args == 2)
    {   
        return splice @copy, $args[0], $args[1];
    }
    else
    {   
        die("too many args");
    }
}