How to disagree, complain and argue in Malayalam without losing the room. Every course teaches you to agree. Almost none teach you to disagree — and disagreement is where a foreign speaker actually gets into trouble, because the words are easy and the calibration is not. Kerala argues, and argues well: near-universal literacy, the highest newspaper readership in India, and a culture where having a position is expected. You will be asked what you think about your own country's government in week two. I am Dr. Reshmi R. Nair, an applied linguist from Kerala. I have taught hundreds of learners to speak Malayalam as it is actually spoken. THE WORDS അഭിപ്രായം (abhipraayam) - opinion ചർച്ച (charcha) - discussion വാദം (vaadam) - an argument, a case being made തർക്കം (tharkkam) - a dispute വിയോജിപ്പ് (viyojippu) - disagreement സമ്മതം (sammatham) - agreement, consent THE LADDER, SOFTEST TO HARDEST എനിക്ക് ഉറപ്പില്ല (enikku urappilla) - I am not sure എനിക്ക് ഒരു സംശയമുണ്ട് (enikku oru samshayamundu) - I have a doubt (in Indian English, a question) ശരിയാണ്, പക്ഷേ (shariyaanu, pakshe) - that is true, but. The concession move: the most useful shape here. എനിക്ക് തോന്നുന്നത് ഇങ്ങനെയാണ് (enikku thonnunnathu inganeyaanu) - what it seems to me is this തോന്നുക (thonnuka) - to seem, to feel; the standard way to hedge an opinion അങ്ങനെ അല്ല (angane alla) - it is not like that എനിക്ക് വിയോജിപ്പുണ്ട് (enikku viyojippundu) - I disagree അത് ശരിയല്ല (athu shariyalla) - that is not correct. Fine among friends, rude to a stranger. THE THING NO TEXTBOOK TELLS YOU In Malayalam, anger is often signalled by an INCREASE in politeness. If a friend who always used നീ (nee) switches to നിങ്ങൾ (ningal), or starts calling you sar, you have not been promoted — you have been pushed away. A Malayali hears it instantly; a foreigner hears courtesy and keeps talking cheerfully into a wall. Has this happened to you without your noticing? Tell me in the comments. #LearnMalayalam #Malayalam #Kerala