use Data::Dumper; print Dumper \%nocapslist; #### $VAR1 = { 'nor' => undef, 'with' => undef, 'in' => undef, 'or' => undef, 'about' => undef, 'that' => undef, 'as' => undef, 'the' => undef, 'and' => undef, 'for' => undef, 'it' => undef, 'but' => undef, 'to' => undef, 'because' => undef }; #### @nocapslist{ @nocapslist } = (1) x @nocapslist;