Are variables in python functions reinitialized with each function call? -

assume have 2 functions

def myfunction1(number):      biglist = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]      print number*biglist   biglist = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]  def myfunction2(number, biglist):      print number*biglist 

i time them ipython's magic %timeit:

in [5]: %timeit myfunction2(number, biglist) 1000000 loops, best of 3: 607 ns per loop  in [6]: %timeit myfunction1(number) 1000000 loops, best of 3: 841 ns per loop 

does mean biglist variable re-declared every time call myfunction1? have guessed after first function-call python somehow store biglist variable function, not have re-initialize list every time function called.

i don't know inner workings of python i'm guessing. can explain happens?

python can't suggest without doing quite complicated analysis. assignment statement assignment statement if type x=3 twice in interpreter expect x 3 after type regardless of have done x in between... no different

to illustrate - function be

def myfunction1(number):     biglist = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]     biglist = number*biglist     print biglist 

in case want reassign biglist.

this ofcourse ignores fact biglist different variable every call - have func executing on 2 threads @ same time , unrelated