($stamp,$extra,$orth,$a,...$z) = split(/ <|>;|\t/, $line1);
#splitting all of the information after the first ";" into 2 scalars;
$split = "$a ... $z";
($canon,$spoke) = split(/; /, $split); 

##</code><code>##

# split into two scalars and an array:

  ( $field1, $field2, @rest ) = split( /$separators/, $input_string );

# or split into three scalars, put everything after "$field2" into $rest:

  ( $field1, $field2, $rest ) = split( /$separators/, $input_string, 3 );


##</code><code>##

# wrong:  ( @fields, $comment ) = split( /[\t#]/, $input_string );