$ perl -MO=Deparse print (two + two == five ? "true" : "false") ^Z print two 'two' == 'five' ? 'true' : 'false'; - syntax OK $ perl -MO=Deparse,-p print (two + two == five ? "true" : "false") ^Z print(two (('two' == 'five') ? 'true' : 'false')); - syntax OK $ perl -w print (two + two == five ? "true" : "false") print (...) interpreted as function at - line 1. Unquoted string "two" may clash with future reserved word at - line 1. Unquoted string "two" may clash with future reserved word at - line 1. Unquoted string "five" may clash with future reserved word at - line 1. ^Z Name "main::two" used only once: possible typo at - line 1. Argument "five" isn't numeric in numeric eq (==) at - line 1. Argument "two" isn't numeric in numeric eq (==) at - line 1. print() on unopened filehandle two at - line 1.