What's in a Word?

Words are indeed powerful. They are capable of affecting, influencing, manipulating, persuading and accomplishing numerous tasks. It's true that the power words hold in our daily conversations cannot be underestimated. But what else can this power do unconsciously? Well, for instance it can reveal multiple aspects of one's identity. What caste does one belong to? What religion does one follow? What is one's class? Which cultural ideology does one subscribe to? The implications the usage of a word has in any context is plenty. Here, we have tried to map the usage of words in Tamil and Badaga in formal contexts. We have also attempted to trace how certain words highlight details which reveal a few aspects of a person's identity.