initializing static const map

OK. I've seen several posts on the subject in
the archives, but I still seem to be stuck.
Perhaps someone with fresher, more knowledgeable
eyes can tell me what I'm doing wrong?

I'm getting the error:
    mapinit.cpp:15: error: expected initializer before 'A'
when I try to compile the following, and for the
life of me I can't figure out WHY. Anyone?
(I've tried several variations of this, including
declaring _init_mapconst() as const, and not using
inline, etc. Same error each time.)

Any assistance welcome.
thanks,
Marc

// minimal example of map initialization problem:

#include <string>
#include <map>

class A {
     private:
         typedef std::map<std::string, int> maptype_t;

         static const maptype_t _mapconst;
         static maptype_t _init_mapconst();
}

inline A::maptype_t
         A::_init_mapconst() // line 15
{
     maptype_t m;
     m["aaa"] = 23;
     m["acb"] = 42;
     return m;
}

const A::maptype_t
         A::_mapconst =
                 A::_init_mapconst();

int main()
{
}

/* compilation attempt:
    $$> g++ -Wall -pedantic -ansi mapinit.cpp -o mapinit
    mapinit.cpp:15: error: expected initializer before 'A'

    $$> g++ --version
    g++ (GCC) 4.0.2
*/

--
Marc D.
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