For a bit more information have a look at this output from the compiler backend B::Terse.

This is the statement print ((split(//,shift(@_)))[$_[1]..$_[2]]); 

LISTOP (0x817e1d0) print
    OP (0x817e1f8) pushmark
    BINOP (0x817e1a8) lslice
        UNOP (0x817e160) null [141]
            OP (0x817e188) pushmark
            UNOP (0x817e0f8) null
                UNOP (0x817e0d8) flop
                    UNOP (0x817e0b8) flip [6]
                        LOGOP (0x817e090) range [5]
                            UNOP (0x817dfe0) null [127]
                                UNOP (0x817dfa0) null [125]
                                    SVOP (0x817df80) aelemfast  GV (0x
+80f6760) *_
                                OP (0x817dfc0) null [5]
                            UNOP (0x817e068) null [127]
                                UNOP (0x817e028) null [125]
                                    SVOP (0x817e008) aelemfast  GV (0x
+80f6760) *_
                                OP (0x817e048) null [5]
        UNOP (0x817e118) null [141]
            OP (0x817e140) pushmark
            LISTOP (0x817df00) split [4]
                PMOP (0x817ddf0) pushre //
                UNOP (0x817dee0) shift
                    UNOP (0x817dec0) rv2av [3]
                        SVOP (0x817de30) gv  GV (0x80f6760) *_
                SVOP (0x817df28) const  IV (0x80fa958) 0

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Now I don't know about you but I can sort of follow much of that, but the important part is seeing that the lslice line comes before the shift one. Which I assume means that it is dealt with first.

In reply to Re: strange shift @_ problem by repson
in thread strange shift @_ problem by ChOas

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