The switches in the language

I have observed certain switches inside feudal languages. In planar languages also there could be similar switches. However, let me speak of one such switch in the feudal languages, that would not be there in a non-feudal language.

This switch is connected to the issue of respect and suppressing. Suppose there is a servant maid in a house, who everyone addresses as Nee (inhi) and edi; and refers to as Aval (oal). When she is thus kept in position, she is quite respectful to those who do the suppressing. In fact, she would most probably address them all as Sar, Ningal, Chettan (elder brother), Chechhi (elder sister) and such similar words. Moreover, they would also be referred to as Sar, Adheham, Avar, Chettan, Annan, Chechhi and such other higher indicant words.

However, persons who are not in a similar position to address her with such forceful snubbing words would suffer. For she would force the might of such snubbing words on them. For example, in households where the younger children are not allowed to use such snubbing words on her, due to her age, would suffer her verbal suppressing.

In households, wherein the young children are allowed to snub her with the forceful words would not be thus worsted.

Now there comes to this household a person of some refinement; say a person who is mentally living in an English world. He or she doesn’t like to use such snubbing words on the housemaid. Now what happens to this person? He may actually not get appreciated for being refined and more polite to her. For in Malayalam feudal concept, the higher-ups are not expected to show politeness to subordinates and lower persons. The servant maid would immediately get the understanding that this person is devoid of personal strength, mental prowess and social leadership.

The refined person would only stand to lose in the household as well as in the social arena, as the servant maid goes around using lower level words about him or her. She may use the words Ayaal, Avan, Aval and the person’s solitary name (devoid of respectful suffixes) when referring to him or her.

Now what is seen here? Lend respect, politeness and dignity to a person placed on the lower scale of a feudal indicant word group, and what you receive in return is disrespect, disregard, disloyalty, disobedience and lack of appreciation.

On the other hand, treat that person with snubbing, disrespect, suppressive words, and what you get return is respect, regard, loyalty, obedience, appreciation, leadership, social appreciation and also grand appreciations for whatever crumbs you give to that person. 

It is a like a switch. Press the snubbing switches, and out comes the respect as an output. Press the politeness switch, and out comes disrespect as an output. It is in a way like a seesaw also. When one side goes down, the other side goes up. I would call this the Gandhian effect.