title: Why does a string break into letters when adding it as list replacement, if the index range does not get the complete list of replacement values?
body: <p>So I created this list:</p>
  
  <pre><code>desk = ['mouse', 'matchbox', 'laptop', 'water']
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When replacing the first the two values of the list with new strings, but for a test case, not providing the second replacement string value, python breaks the first replacement value into individual letters in the list. For example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>desk[0:2] = 'mouse'
  
  desk : ['m', 'o', 'u', 's', 'e', 'laptop', 'water']
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I'm aware that this might not ever be of use, but I just wanted to be clear on the logic behind this. </p>
  
  <p>Thank you in advance.</p>