.bash

#!/bin/bash
typeset -gx BASH_COMPAT=51
shopt -u assoc_expand_once

function assignArray {
	typeset -n ref=$1 || return
	shift
	[[ ${ref@a} == *A* && "! ($# % 2)" -ne 0 ]] || return

	typeset -A map
	typeset x
	while ${2+\:} false; do
		eval -- ${keymaps[$1]+"map=${keymaps[$1]}"}
		map+=([${!ref}]=)
		printf -v x '[%q]= ' "${!map[@]}"
		typeset -gA keymaps+=([$1]="(${x% })")
		ref+=([$1]=$2)
		shift 2
	done
}

function getArraysWithKey {
	typeset -n ref=$1 || return
	shift
	[[ ${ref@a} == *A* ]] || return
	eval -- ${keymaps[$1]+"ref=${keymaps[$1]}"}
}

typeset -A a b arrs
assignArray a k1 va1 k2 $'va2 * \n blah' 
assignArray b k1 vb1 k2 vb2
assignArray a 'randomkey 1' va3
assignArray b 'randomkey 2 *' vb3

echo
getArraysWithKey arrs k1
printf 'arrays wirh %q: %s\n' k1 "${!arrs[*]}"
getArraysWithKey arrs 'randomkey 2 *'
printf 'arrays wirh %q: %s\n' 'randomkey 2 *' "${!arrs[*]}"

# typeset -p a b keymaps