Buried in another thread the issue was raised about why 
%h->{key} = 'value';
@a->[0] = 12;

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constructs worked. I suggested it was a context issue, since the -> implies a reference. This is a little different than other "context" concepts I'm used to in Perl, so maybe I'm off base.

Further, in Programming Perl, 2nd Ed., it says (page 79):

Just as in C and C++, -> is an infix dereference operator. If the right side is either a [...] or {...} subscript, then the left side must be either a reference to an array or hash (or a location capable of holding a hard reference, if it's an lvalue (assignable)).

So this would suggest that in this context %h and @a above are references -- or treated as references.

Anyone know if there is a deep reason for this?

In reply to What's with the tt-/tt operator? by snax

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