| Summary: | Meiteiron taboo words reflect the values and beliefs of Meiteil society. Which words become taboo is determined by various religious, social, and psychological factors. This study classifies Meitei taboos into those on using personal names, on using kin terms, on the use of certain names, on naming certain animals, on naming certain diseases, on using certain words connected with spirits, on using certain terms at night, on religious constraints on using certain words, and on using words connected with sex. Some words are taboo because of their pho¬netic similarity to taboo words. Taboo on words which are phonetically similar to the tabooed words. And, finally there are semi-taboo words. The understanding of taboo requires examining these taboos not only in terms of how they are presently viewed but also in terms of the way they were at earlier times and how they have changed, due to factors like education and outside contact.
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