Re: Arithmetic expression: recursive VAR evaluation suppresses desired VAR assignment

[Robert Elz]

I would agree that the values bash is producing don't make a lot
sense, but I don't think you can say that either is correct - one
may be more desirable than the other, but that's it.

Var expansion (not $I but just I) is defined for $(( )) only when
I contains a integer constant (optionally signed) - anything else
supported is an extension, and can be defined to work however the
implementor wants it to work.

kre