Comment on x86 assembly doesn’t have to be scary (2018)parentComments−coldacid4y8086 let you address the upper and lower halves of the 16-bit registers as well, so don't trick yourself into thinking there was just one register width available in the sense that everything could only be treated as 16-bit words.−colejohnson664yMany 8 bit processors had the same “feature”. For example, the Z80’s 8 bit registers were internally just halves of a 16 bit register.
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8086 let you address the upper and lower halves of the 16-bit registers as well, so don't trick yourself into thinking there was just one register width available in the sense that everything could only be treated as 16-bit words.
Many 8 bit processors had the same “feature”. For example, the Z80’s 8 bit registers were internally just halves of a 16 bit register.