title: Python dictionary get method in assignment
body: <p>All,</p>
  
  <p>I'm looping over a dictionary and counting the values that occur. To do this, I'm using the get method in the assignment statement for another dictionary. This returns a syntax error "can't assign to function call"</p>
  
  <pre><code>counts = {}
  mydict = {'a':[1,2,5], 'b': [1,2,10]}
  for key,value in mydict.iteritems():
      counts(value[1]) = counts.get(value[1], 0) + 1
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Why would the assignment try to point to the function, rather than the return value?</p>