If you want a serious answer, as a k programmer ||\|x (which I assume your example is based on) is instantly readable as producing a bitmask of ones up to the last. ie 0 1 0 0 1 0 -> 1 1 1 1 1 0. Or a max scan from the right on integer arrays. I don't know how to even describe that in English succinctly, let alone most mainstream programming languages. (Haskell - reverse.scanl1(||).reverse - ok, not too bad)