@array = qw[ foo bar qux ];; print @{ array }[ 0 ];; Scalar value @{ array }[ 0 ] better written as ${ array }[ 0 ] at foo #### $name = 'array';; print @{ $name }[ 0 ];; foo $ref = \@array;; print @{ $ref }[ 0 ];; foo #### 9 <;> nextstate(...)v ->a 9 <;> nextstate(...) v ->a g <@> print vK ->h g <@> print vK ->h a <0> pushmark s ->b a <0> pushmark s ->b f <@> aslice lK ->g f <@> aslice lK ->g b <0> pushmark s ->c b <0> pushmark s ->c c <$> const[IV 0] s ->d c <$> const[IV 0] s ->d e <1> rv2av[t5] sKR/1 ->f e <1> rv2av[t4] sKR/1 ->f d <#> gv[*array] s ->e - <@> scope sK ->e -e syntax OK - <0> ex-nextstate v ->d d <$> const[PV "array"] s ->e -e syntax OK