Thats interesting that you said that you would owe something to someone if you offered these words? Did you mean that, or that you would owe something to someone if THEY offered YOU these words? Either way, yeah i get it.

An example i have is when my t offered me - see, i cant even say "gave", and it was prolly ten years ago now! - a coffee mug as a transitional object before he went out of town, and i BELIEVED for at least six months that he would ask for it back at any minute. Thats OWEING someone for attachment. It was like it was ingrained in me. But it was definitely carefully taught.