Nias, words with that function are taken by verbs. Pronouns The following table lists the free and bound pronouns of Nias ( = only used in the northern dialect, = only used in the southern dialect): Independent pronouns are used: as the predicate in nominal clauses as the P argument of transitive verbs in dependent (including relative and nominalized) clauses following certain prepositions and 'only' in fronted (topicalized) position Absolutive pronouns are used: as the S argument of independent intransitive and nominal clauses (in the southern dialect, only in realis mood) as the P argument of transitive verbs in independent clauses as the stimulus with intransitive verbs expressing emotions or states of mind Genitive pronouns are used: as possessor, e.g. 'my father' following certain prepositions, e.g. 'to me' as the S argument in nominalized intransitive clauses as the A argument in nominalized transitive clauses as the A argument in relative clauses with the P argument of a transitive verb as head Ergative (realis) pronouns are used: as the A argument in independent transitive clauses (in the southern dialect, only in realis mood) Irrealis pronouns are used in the southern dialect: as the S argument in independent intransitive clauses in irrealis mood as the A argument in independent transitive clauses in irrealis mood In the northern dialect, the irrealis pronouns are restricted to third person, and are employed in what Sundermann (1913) calls "jussive" mood. Noun case marking (mutation) Case marking of nouns is indicated in Nias by mutation of the initial consonant. Several consonants are subject to mutation as shown in the table below. Where a word begins in a vowel, either n or g is added before the vowel; the choice of n or g is lexically conditioned. (For example, is 'village federation', is 'bracelet'.) Other consonants do not change. Unmutated case The unmutated case form is used in citation. It further appears in all functions described above for independent pronouns: as the predicate in nominal clauses as the P argument of transitive verbs in dependent (including relative and nominalized) clauses following certain prepositions and 'only' in fronted (topicalized) position Additionally, A arguments in independent transitive clauses appear in unmutated case, cross-referenced by the corresponding ergative or irrealis pronoun. Mutated case The mutated case form of the noun corresponds in function to both the absolutive and the genitive pronouns: as the S argument of independent intransitive and nominal clauses