Is it possible or RFE to expand ranges of *arrays*

[Linda Walsh]

I know I can get
a="abcdef" echo "${a[2:4]}" = cde

 how do I do:
typeset -a a=(apple berry cherry date); then get:

echo ${a[1:2]} = "berry" "cherry"  ( non-grouped args)

I tried to do it in a function and hurt myself.