Using more characters/fewer distinct characters wouldn't make it any more readable.
Similarly, COBOL is no more readable than Perl. Readability of texts written in programming languages comes from organization and knowing the definitions of terms and idioms, which is true of texts written in every language.
Well-written software is difficult to read because terms have precise definitions which demand precise thought; philosophical texts approach this, but only mathematics replicates it. Therefore, shifting notation isn't going to help much.
Similarly, COBOL is no more readable than Perl. Readability of texts written in programming languages comes from organization and knowing the definitions of terms and idioms, which is true of texts written in every language.
Well-written software is difficult to read because terms have precise definitions which demand precise thought; philosophical texts approach this, but only mathematics replicates it. Therefore, shifting notation isn't going to help much.