# start at a test suite for negative indexed array subscripts -- post bash-4.2 x=( 0 1 2 3 4 5) declare -p x unset 'x[-1]' declare -p x unset 'x[-2]' declare -p x unset 'x[-10]' x[-2]=3 declare -p x x+=( five ) declare -p x x[-1]=5 declare -p x x+=( [-1]=foo ) declare -p x x[-1]=5 declare -p x x[-2]+=four declare -p x echo "strlen(${x[-2]})" = ${#x[-2]}