Originally Posted By: Faldage
That "earliest documented use" is probably the earliest use in English and has nothing to do with the Indian caste system.


Thats a good point, Faldage.

I have read that the word pariah may come from the Tamil word parai and parayar "to tell something".

In early days announcements were made in public places and attention was sought be beating the drum. These broadcasts were usually made by men from the lower casts. So you can see how the two became to mean the same, pariah and low cast.

And maybe the messages were not always good news.....
Like the saying, 'shoot the messenger' maybe the pariah became the outcast because of the announcements he made.