Tuneful Weeping: A Mode of Communication

Abstract

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the Northern part of the Indian subcontinent. Although Hindi, the national language, is spoken and understood very well in them, the vast majority of the members of these communities use the languages of Bhojpuri, Magahi, or Maithili as the only medium of communication in their daily lives. It may be that other Indian communities also use weeping to communicate, but I do not possess any reliable information on this subject. Therefore, this report will describe this communicative mode only as it obtains in these speech communities. These are predominantly agricultural regions with residents living in villages. Literacy is not widespread and caste hierarchy is rigidly maintained. Women observe purdah and receive whatever education is available in the village school. Men, especially upper caste men, do not like their women to violate the purdah system. However, it is very different with lower caste men and women, inasmuch as purdah is not an inviolate system with them. Lower caste women work together with their men to earn their living. But it has been observed that as soon as a lower caste man has