x=(one two) echo ${x[@]:1} echo ${x[@]:0:1} x=(one) echo ${x[0]:1} echo ${x[0]:0} echo ${x[@]:1} echo ${x[@]:0} echo ${x[@]: -1} echo ${x[@]: ${#x[@]}-1} x=(0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9) echo ${x[@]:1} echo ${x[@]: -1} echo ${x[@]: ${#x[@]}-1} set -- ${x[@]} echo $1 echo ${@: -1} echo ${@: $#-1} a=0123456789 echo ${a:1} echo ${a: -1} echo ${a: ${#a}-1}