IFS=/ declare -A i i[0]=fooq i[1]= i[2]=barq i[3]= recho "${i[*]:0}" recho "${i[@]:0}" recho "${i[*]/q/!}" recho "${i[@]/q/!}" recho "${i[*]#?}" recho "${i[@]#?}" # Need to complete this with case-modifying expansion examples recho "${i[*]^?}" recho "${i[@]^?}" recho "${i[*]^^?}" recho "${i[@]^^?}"