How to mix optional positional and named arguments?

Ruby
#1

Inspired by a StackOverflow question curious how correctly use
positional and named method/lambda/proc arguments.

Assume following method with both positional and named arguments
optional:

def meth(arg = {foo: 1}, kwarg: ‘bar’)
p arg, kwarg
end

Now I’d like to send meth with arg set to a different hash, kwarg leave
the default:

meth({foo:2})

ArgumentError: unknown keyword: foo

Surprisingly when hash argument has non-symbol key, it is taken as
positional as expected:

meth({‘foo’ = > 2})
{“foo”=>2}
“bar”
=> [{“foo”=>2}, “bar”]

By a trial-and-error I’ve figured out {foo: 2} can be “enforced” in
assignment to optional arg, when an extra empty hash is passed:

meth({foo:2},{})
{:foo=>2}
“bar”
=> [{:foo=>2}, “bar”]

Can somebody explain what’s going on here ?

Thanks.