A sample code

Here again, there is this issue. It is like this: Who is this? Answer: ‘He is his friend’. Or ‘He is Raman’s friend’. Or ‘He is Raman Saar’s’ friend’.

In this answer, a vital social code is also encrypted, to go along with the answer. This code is encoded in the word ‘his’. This ‘his’ can be avan, ayaal or avar/adheham/saar. Each of these different words, define a different personality, social position and very specific limitations of or excess of social rights. Moreover, the use of mere name or of name with a specific suffix of respect can swing the other person’s social connectivity to diametrically opposite extremes.

Protecting the superior kids

Beyond all this, what will the native ‘Indian’ associate do, with regard to the indicant words? There are certain areas of the ‘Indian’ social context, wherein I have observed that the lower classes understand their own negative aura, and see to it that it does not impinge on their socially high associates. For example, when I was in Travancore (South Kerala), in the late 1970s’, the serving class of the rich men were seen to use ‘respectful’ words about their master’s children. However, in the same period, I experienced a totally different scenario in Malabar (North Kerala) areas. Here, the servant classes used the lower level indicant words powerfully on most of the children of the master classes, if they were not personally crushed by words by these children. {To a limited extend, the surly nature shown by the Malabar people in this regard could be to a limited extend connected to the fact that Malabar was under British rule, while Travancore areas never had been under British rule. It overwrote certain communication codes in bits and pieces}.

A slight drowning

Now that I have mentioned the two possibilities, I must admit that the second is more powerful and most people would take that part. Now, if a native-Englishman is in close association with a lower social level native ‘Indian’ man, the ‘Indian’ man can choose between which levels of usages to use to exhibit his connection with the Englishman. The very word ‘I know him’ can be loaded with powerful social meaning. For, it lies in the ‘Him’. Native ‘Indians’ focus on this word, and then assign the two persons social statures. If the native ‘Indian’ uses the lower words, the Englishman’s stature goes down, while the formers’ stature goes up. If the native ‘Indian’ uses the higher words, not much is changed. However, socially crushed people usually are like people grabbing at even a piece of straw when they are drowning. They would grab at the nearest associate with the lower indicants to lift themselves up. In the process, the other man may drown a bit.    

To use a prop

It can essentially be like an ordinary man one day seeing his old classmate as a senior police (IPS) officer. He would have to mention it. If possible a socially visible incident of him shaking the hands of the IPS officer can literally fill him with buoyant energy. Even though this effect is understandable in English also, the tumultuous change of indicant words that this can usher in cannot be conceived of over there. Even if the indicant words do not change, the numerical values encoded in them would rise up spontaneously and uncontrollably. If he can phone this IPS officer, in the presence of others, it would be a very remarkable scene. However, this scene is essentially different from an English scene in this sense: Other persons, who hear, wait for the communication codes. If the man is addressing the senior IPS officer with a Nee (Thu), it is an effect of equalising himself to the IPS officer. However if he is using other words like Thaan, Eyaal, Ningal, Saar etc. each word spreads a different social message about his connectivity. Yet, in the Indian context, any link to a senior police officer is a power.

For, the IPS officer is powerfully held up above the Indian social system. In the case of the Englishman during the East India Company rule there also, there was a definite level of elevation. However, it is not as powerfully held high as in the case of the IPS officer. For, there was no specific rule in the East India Company that all Englishmen were above the Indian social order, statutorily. So, they had to fend for themselves to some extent. That would mean that they had to encase themselves with the ‘Indian’ social codes of distancing themselves from any encroachment of their positions.

A feel of the evil codes

Well, native ‘Indians’ know these codes innately. However the native-English speaker is literally a novice in these profound themes of social communication. Yet, as he moves around the Indian social scene for some time, he would get to feel the idea. Even though the exact mechanism of the social machinery may not be easy to understand and study. A very powerful understanding that there is a need to cordon off the native ‘Indian’ social setup from encroaching upon the native-English society would be felt. It is really a very healthy approach. Actually, not many ‘Indians’ of the local society would find any fault with it. In fact, if any Englishman were to become too close to any Indian, especially an ordinary ‘Indian’, there would be many other ‘Indians’ making haste to warn the Englishman to keep the other ‘Indian’ in his position. For, an acknowledged association with the Englishman would elevate the other ‘Indian’ and it would be a pain for the other ‘Indians’ to bear.

Digression: I need to digress here and mention that this vital piece of knowledge is now not available to the English policymakers in their native-English nations. For, any feeling of discomfort shown by a native-Englishman is declared to be a feeling of racial repulsion, when actually the unease is not really connected to skin colour, but to something more eerie and of more sinister implications.

Now they have reached this level of demeanour and looks in the year 2005. But not the mental and social calibre, had they been under English rule and ambiance.