Why do Perl variables need to start with $, %,@ (sigils)?

Question

Why do Perl variables need to start with different characters (sigils)?

• Scalar variables start with $

• Hashes start with %

Answer 1

http://www.wall.org/~larry/natural.html:

English uses number and word order, with vestiges of a case system in the pronouns: "The man looked at the men, and they looked back at him." It's perfectly clear in that sentence who is doing what to whom. Similarly, Perl has number markers on its nouns; that is, $dog is one pooch, and @dog is (potentially) many. So $ and @ are a little like "this" and "these" in English.