[methods (and subs in general)] can return lists in a list context, or scalars in a scalar context. Nothing else. Cannot return an array.

Okay, merlyn. I'm puzzled again. If anyone else had posted this assertion, I would have made this as a correction rather than a genuine inquiry. The following snippet seems to demonstrate the ret_array sub returning an array. But I've been enough rounds on the array/list thing to know that things ain't always what they seem. Is more happening here than meets the eye? 

sub ret_array { return @_; }
sub ret_list  { return @_[0..$#_]; }

my @array = ('a','b','c');

print scalar ret_array('a','b','c'); # 3
print scalar ret_array(@array);      # 3

print scalar ret_list('a','b','c');  # c
print scalar ret_list(@array);       # c

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In reply to Sub cannot return an array? by dvergin
in thread Dereference an array reference by fmogavero

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