[MRAB]
Imagine renaming the specified names that are declared 'local' throughout the nested portion:
def f(): a = 10 local local_a: def showa(): print("a is", local_a) showa() # Raises NameError in showa because nothing bound to local_a yet. local_a = 20 showa() # 20 local_a = 30 showa() # Raises NameError in f because local_a not defined.
In a later message I showed executable-today Python code that I believe models your intent. That code does indeed display "30" for the last call, and while I myself don't see that it's _useful_ yet, the model is incomprehensible if it doesn't. It doesn't matter that local_a isn't defined at function scope, because showa() refers to the locals _in_ the "local a:" scope. The last value bound to local_a was 30, so that's what showa() needs to show. That the name `showa` is _bound_ in f's locals has nothing to do with whose locals showa() _uses_. Other current messages about "closures" go on more about that.