Glad you asked. I hope we can clarify this then.
I am going to assume, then, that 4xInt ≠ "4 x Int" or "[4 x Int]". Despite this the x is still there. The order is still there.
Since the x is there, I can assume that the Core Team likes x and have concluded that it should be a part of the syntax. (this isn't a far reach).
The order being similar suggests that the order is also preferred. (this is not a far reach)
I doubt anyone would agree to #xInt being hardcoded into the language, so we can at least conclude that that would be up for debate.
I can tell that some of us are more literal thinkers than others, where any deviation from accepted syntax (10 years ago) would not at all be this one because it is slightly different. I can often be like that myself. But in this case, can we not see the parallels between the suggest 4xInt syntax and the proposed [4 x Int] a good amount of which you admit the Core Team already prefers.
Unless you are suggesting that the Core Team only would prefer if it is all elements were the same (therefore 4xInt is absolutely not [4 x Int]), and since this deviates with this with the aded [] and spaces they would not tend towards any of the suggest syntax in this proposal. Which, OK, I can agree to that.
Looking through Proposal: Contiguous Variables (A.K.A. Fixed Sized Array Type), I can see so much of the same discussion.
(# x Type) was suggested.
(# * Type) was suggested.
(# of Type) was suggested. (ADDED AT EDIT)
(# Int) was suggested. (ADDED AT EDIT)
Int[#] was also suggested.
(lots of similar arguments)
I didn't read through all of it, but it didn't feel like the conclusion was #xInt or #xType.
I am interested where that came from.
Regardless, I feel if the Core Team has decided on a syntax that they prefer and a lot of the elements are here, then our debate on those portions are irrelevant.