Shifting individuality towards extreme ends

The southern version of Malayalam is quite different from the northern dialect. The word She is translated as Aval, Pulli, Pullikkari, ayaal, Avar etc. in the south. All these words are of different social standing, with the first one being the lowest, and the last one being the highest.

In the north, She is translated as Oal (Aval) and Oar (Avar). The other in-between levels are absent.

Again, in the south, the word You is translated as Nee, Thaan, Eyaal, Ningal, Thangal, Sar etc.

While in the north, the word You is translated as Nee (lowest you) and Ningal (highest you).

In the south, generally ordinary women who are of the working class get a more average level of words to be referred to or for being addressed.  Women do enjoy a more comfortable social existence over there. A non-entity suddenly getting a slightly higher social standing like getting a teacher’s job, doesn’t effect a major change in personality.

However in the north, a woman can only exist in two vastly different word codes. That of Oal (Aval) and that of Oar (Avar). And for You, she can be either addressed as Nee or Ningal. The first words are of the lowest level, while the last words are of the highest level. That is, they exist at extremely opposite social and mental positions. The first one signifies a lowly social existence, while the last word defines a higher social standing.

An ordinary woman who comes to the village market gets addressed as Nee, and she is an Oal. She has to exhibit a meek, lowly, subservient physical posture and individuality.  The words define this personality. Her social mobility is severely crippled. If she is not willing to adjust to the definitions of the words, then she may seem to be an upstart, impertinent or even a person with sharp mental instability. However, if her parents or other relatives manage to collect a few lakh (hundred thousand) rupees and pay that amount to a govt aided school management, she becomes a teacher.

Now, she is a Ningal, and an Oar (Avar). Her personality has to change. For people need to show respect to her. She finds terrific freedom in social movement. People would not speak disparagingly about an Oar (Avar).