Luis Rodrigues wrote:
Are you especially against " Males " only and have a
very corner in your heart for " Females"? Then why all
your xirap ends with " RE"???
Would you please specify??????
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Dear Luis,
Interestingly a few months back a rather pro-casteist Cyber Goan wrote to
me rather adamantly that all Brahmin women, of whatever age, have to be
referred to as 're' (pronounced 'ray') and not 'go' (to an equal or younger
woman) or 'ge' (pronounced 'gay' - to an elderly woman) as one would do in
normal Konkani for a female. I was totally blown by this piece of
information and asked some pro-casteists who I know here in Goa and was
shocked to know that this strange language custom of addressing a female by
a male suffix is still followed in some Brahmin families in Goa.
I told my pro-casteist cyber correspondent that I have no problem with
following the rules and did not wish to offend anyone's customs. But since
I don't know which woman is 'brahmin' and which one is not I will only use
're' when speaking to women who have the word 'BRAHMIN" prominently
tattooed on their forehead. He has since not corresponded with me.
Cheers!
Cecil Pinto, Panjim - Aldona
M/ 38/ NP-CC/ NP-H
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