The INTERCAL language reference manual supplies these pronunciations (and interpretations) of the ASCII characters used in the language. Since these names are particularly evocative and convenient, I reproduce the table here, slightly reformatted.
The phrases "identify ..." indicate that these are sigils. Interestingly, Perl stole from INTERCAL the usage of a prefixed sigil to mark types of some language constructs.
- .
- spot -- identify 16-bit variable
- :
- two-spot -- identify 32-bit variable
- ,
- tail -- identify 16-bit array
- ;
- hybrid -- identify 32-bit array
- #
- mesh -- identify constant
- =
- half-mesh
- '
- spark -- grouper
- `
- backspark
- !
- wow -- equivalent to spark-spot
- ?
- what -- unary exlusive OR (ASCII)
- "
- rabbit-ears -- grouper
- .
- rabbit -- equivalent to ears-spot
- |
- spike
- %
- double-oh-seven -- percentage qualifier
- -
- worm -- used with angles
- <
- angle -- used with worms
- >
- right angle
- (
- wax -- precedes line label
- )
- wane -- follows line label
- [
- U turn
- ]
- U turn back
- {
- embrace
- }
- bracelet
- *
- splat -- flags invalid statements
- &
- ampersand (or Hitchcock) -- unary logical AND
- V
- V (or book) -- unary logical OR
- -
- bookworm (or universal qualifier) -- unary exclusive OR
- $
- big money -- binary mingle (ASCII)
- /
- change -- binary mingle
- ~
- sqiggle -- binary select
- _
- flat worm
- -
- overline -- indicates "times 1000"
- +
- intersection -- separates list items
- /
- slat
- \
- backslat
- @
- whirlpool
- '
- hookworm
- ^
- shark (or simply sharkfin)
- []
- blotch
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