Why can a function modify some arguments as perceived by the caller, but not others?

Question

I\'m trying to understand Python\'s approach to variable scope. In this example, why is f() able to alter the value of x, as perceived within

Answer 1

My general understanding is that any object variable (such as a list or a dict, among others) can be modified through its functions. What I believe you are not able to do is reassign the parameter - i.e., assign it by reference within a callable function.

That is consistent with many other languages.

Run the following short script to see how it works:

def func1(x, l1):
    x = 5
    l1.append("nonsense")

y = 10
list1 = ["meaning"]
func1(y, list1)
print(y)
print(list1)