+.PP
+A variable can be assigned the \fInameref\fP attribute using the
+\fB\-n\fP option to the \fBdeclare\fP or \fBlocal\fP builtin commands
+(see the descriptions of \fBdeclare\fP and \fBlocal\fP below)
+to create a \fInameref\fP, or a reference to another variable.
+This allows variables to be manipulated indirectly.
+Whenever the nameref variable is referenced or assigned to, the operation
+is actually performed on the variable specified by the nameref variable's
+value.
+A nameref is commonly used within shell functions to refer to a variable
+whose name is passed as an argument to the function.
+For instance, if a variable name is passed to a shell function as its first
+argument, running
+.sp .5
+.RS
+.if t \f(CWdeclare -n ref=$1\fP
+.if n declare -n ref=$1
+.RE
+.sp .5
+inside the function creates a nameref variable \fBref\fP whose value is
+the variable name passed as the first argument.
+References and assignments to \fBref\fP are treated as references and
+assignments to the variable whose name was passed as \fB$1\fP.
+If the control variable in a \fBfor\fP loop has the nameref attribute,
+the list of words can be a list of shell variables, and a name reference
+will be established for each word in the list, in turn, when the loop is
+executed.
+Array variables cannot be given the \fB\-n\fP attribute.
+However, nameref variables can reference array variables and subscripted
+array variables.
+Namerefs can be unset using the \fB\-n\fP option to the \fBunset\fP builtin.
+Otherwise, if \fBunset\fP is executed with the name of a nameref variable
+as an argument, the variable referenced by the nameref variable will be unset.