I don't think associative array is a good name either. Depending on which language you come from array might mean "ordered list" to you, and I don't think the "associative" in the name would be of any help if you don't know the concept in the first place.

Other languages have other names for hash-like objects, like map (eg C++), which because of the map keyword would be a pretty bad idea in perl (I must admit that I had a lot of trouble understanding map precisely because I only knew the world as meaning "hash-like object" when I learned perl). Some languages have dictionaries, or dict (like python), which isn't a bad name I suppose. For what it's worth, in raku (perl 5's little sister) the association feature can be implemented either by using the base type hash, or an object implementing the Role "Associative".

If the word "septisyllabically" is correct, a definition should be provided.
It's a neofrankenlogism, with a latin prefix, a greek root and -ally for adverbing that indicates the use of an heptasyllabe (and if my jokes still don't help, it means "with seven syllabes"). It's consistent with the spirit of perl's documentation and, as far as I can tell, Tim Toady's interest in linguistic related subjects. I guess it might be a little unhelpful for new comers though.

In reply to Re^3: Confused by some var names in perlref by Eily
in thread Confused by some var names in perlref by DouglasDD

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