title: Perl to python shift translation
body: <p>I am a student learning Python as well as Perl.
  In our Perl program we used the code </p>
  
  <pre><code>my $param = shift;
  my %local_hash = %$param;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>when translating Perl to Python what would be the most similar way to 'shift' the hash or do I no longer need this part of code?</p>
  
  <p>So far I have this in Python</p>
  
  <pre><code>def insert_user(local_hash):
      param = shift
      local_hash = {param}
      user_name = input("Please enter Username: ")
      user_name = user_name.replace('\n', '')
  </code></pre>