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Too many English words in latest TF songs

Topic started by Karunakaran (@ gate4.kaiperm.org) on Mon Nov 30 20:44:20 EST 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

En Iniya Tamizh idayangale!

I just wanted to initiate this topic to find out how many of us really like to have good and pure Tamizh songs in the movies.

Eventhough the presence of English words in TFM songs is not new but nowadays it is too much. Almost every movie comes with 1 or more songs which contains these words.

Makkalin Rasanaigal vidhiyaasamaaga irukkalaam. By using these, our MDs, Paadal aasiriyargal and producers are going beyond the limit. For e-g: in Kaadhal Desam, I couldn't simply tolerate the songs Kalloori salai and Mustafa. Similarly in Kaadhala Kaadhala(Madonna paadala nee).

Thirapadamum adhan paadalgalum Makkalin enaithu tharapinaraiyum poi sera vendiya oru porul. Yes. It should reach the remote village in TN or any place where an uneducated person should be able to understand the dialogues and meaning of the songs.

Who should be blamed for all these? MDs? Paadal Aaasiriyargal? Producers? Directors? or
Nammai pondra rasikargal?

When modern Tamilian is proud of forgetting Tamizh and preferring English, these kind of songs are boosting our attitude to western culture. Iniya Tamizhin Nilai enna aagum?

"Ennavale adi ennavale"-vi rasikkum en manam "Mustafa Mustafa Don't worry Mustafa" -vi keetathum erichal adaiya enna kaaranam?

Are we in the right direction?

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Responses:

• From: mahalaxmi (@ 203.197.130.189) on: Tue Dec 1 00:04:49 EST 1998
  
  this topic is very apt for the present situation bcoz there is a myth that adding english words in their songs will enhance the quality of the song.we can promote english but not at the cost of our sweet tamizh.
  
  if this continues i guess tamizh will soon diappear from tfm.
  
  
• From: suresh (@ bluebird.qut.edu.au) on: Tue Dec 1 07:19:11 EST 1998
  
  Interesting topic. My personal take on this(IMO):
  
  While I agree with that lyrics are increasingly turning "Tanglish", we must also look at the contextual aspect of some of these songs. Kaadhal Desam for instance, was based in a western uni-like setting and the whole base was of a yuppy kind. For a dominantly urban setting, I don't think it's out of place to have such words as were incorporated in Kaadhal Desam. Didn't the same movie have some real authentic Tamil lyrics as in "Anbe" and "O Vennila"? That movie was intentionally made for a diff. target market, & I don't see a reason why we have to presuppose that a film should try and encompass all kinds of viewers - A, B & C classes (in cinema jargon).
  
  We can't look at this trend from an isolationist point of view ignoring the winds of change that are heralded by globalisation and the cable/TV revolution. It's a different point to argue about the social/ cultural effects of such changes, but this forum may not be a right place for such a debate. From a rickshawallah onwards, don't a wide variety of people use English words in common everyday language?
  
  of course there is merit in deriding nonsensical use of language - but for every "mustafa" that you fume against, don't we also have a "lalakku dol dappima" or "eppadi eppadi"?
  
  Iniya Tamizhukku ondrum agadhu. Mozhiyai mattum thozhilaga konda palar innum Tamizhagathil thazhaithongi kondu irukkikirargal. Where else but in TN can you still find captive audiences for patti mandrams that flog to death such jurassic debates such as Kannagi/ Kovalan etc..?
  
  TV and films are increasingly losing the shape of mass media as we look at fragmented markets (societies within societies), clearly illustrated by such buzzwords as "niche marketing" and "database marketing". As for notions of language and culture, I think ours is inherently strong and capable of not only withstanding such changes gathering some strength from them as well.
  
  Cynically speaking, movies are now a clearly identified business sector with millions riding on each project. Esoteric definitons of films as artforms can still be applied, but they'd not progress beyond the art circuit. What we see in the movies of today is basically what the audience wants. If they don't like what they see, the movie flops. It's pure market dynamics.
  
  :-) All views IMO only :-)
  
  
• From: Ravy (@ eagle.vapower.com) on: Tue Dec 1 11:07:39 EST 1998
  
  I couldn't help noticing the word 'Oxygen' sound jarringly in the midst of sweet tamil words in the song AnbE anbE kolladhE.
  
  
• From: Velaiyaththavan (@ 129.252.26.37) on: Tue Dec 1 21:36:29 EST 1998
  
  One of the worst egs:
  
  "Kaadhal cricketil sattam illai oru saathiram illai, runs adippadhuthaan velai"
  
  This comes in Soniya Soniya. No poet can think of more junk expressions for a love song.
  
  
  
• From: Srikanth (@ slip-32-101-16-241.il.us.ibm.net) on: Tue Dec 1 23:09:45 EST 1998
  
  April mayeele pasumai eillai
  BORE boruda...
  
  adpongaya june julya...
  
  Looks like this songs contains more english words than tamil, we all accepted it and enjoyed it.
  
  
  
  
• From: Shanmugam Murugappan (@ 208.236.83.16) on: Wed Dec 2 18:15:20 EST 1998
  
  There is one song in "Naerukku Naer". It is "Aval varuvala". When I happened to hear this song, I noticed the following words,
  
  "SMOOTHai sellum FLOPPY DISC aval...
  nenjai allum DOLBY SOUND aval..."
  
  I am surprised (???!!!) by the lyricist's imagination. It is high time Tamil Film Music lovers crown the lyricist as the modern Rudyard Kipling (sorry, if I am degrading the great Rudyard Kipling) in the world. BTB, may I know who is the lyricist? The MD is none other than Deva.
  
  Same is the case with the song "Aye Rabba" in the film "Jeans". First point, there is no words in Tamil like "Aye Rabba". Then, if you hear the song further, you can hear the following words.
  
  "FIFTY KG Taj Mahal enakkae enakka,
  FLIGHTil vandha nanda vanam enakkae enakka"
  
  So, it has become a modern trend for lyricists to include English and other language words in Tamil film songs.
  
  Anyway, it is better than certain Tamil songs, which had some vulgar and double-meaning words, in films like, "Indhu" (MD : Deva).
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Thu Dec 3 00:36:45 EST 1998
  
  shanmugam,
  The lyricist is none other than VM!!!
  pAvam avar floppy disk nA paRakkum thattu nu ninaichindiruukAR pOl irukkiradhu.
  
  
• From: anju (@ 203.197.131.26) on: Thu Dec 3 10:04:33 EST 1998
  
  if u make a close analysis majority of the songs with english words appear in arr songs bcoz they are very westernised and hifi .
  
  
  
• From: Shanmugam Murugappan (@ 208.236.83.6) on: Thu Dec 3 15:45:12 EST 1998
  
  Shankar,
  
  VMa appadi ezhudhinaar. Kaviyarasar aache avar. Enna panradhu. Money is what counts at the end of the day. Even the great Kannadasan has used some English words, occassionally. But those were used only in some songs for Nagesh (comedy) or only if the situation demands. Out of the current day lyricists, only VM used good Tamil words but now he has also started using Tamil words occassionally.
  
  Anju,
  
  Atleast ARRs songs contain some english words, but in some songs of Deva and other words they use some words for which I don't know the lanugage at all. I will tell you one example from the film "Kannaedhirae Thondrinaal".
  
  "Kothavaalsaavadi lady nee Koyambedu vaadi"
  
  Take the case of some songs in the file "Indhu". (I, personally, don't want to mention them).
  
  I definitely feel he could have very well tuned some English song instead of the above, so-called, Tamil songs.
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Fri Dec 4 00:01:00 EST 1998
  
  Shanmugam,
  I dont mind if he uses english words appropriately. If u dont know the difference betn a floppy and flying disk why use it?
  
  
• From: Shanmugam Murugappan (@ 208.236.83.16) on: Fri Dec 4 13:28:49 EST 1998
  
  Shankar,
  
  What you say is correct. But what I meant to say was atleast these words are better than some double-meaningful words used by other lyricists
  
  
• From: Shanmugam Murugappan (@ 208.236.83.16) on: Wed Dec 9 17:12:53 EST 1998
  
  Another song from the film "Gokulathil seethai"
  
  "life is fantastic... make it romantic"
  
  When I heard these lines the first time, I thought it as some English song. Soon, I heard some Tamil words and I got confused. It took me some time to realize that it is a Tamil song with some English words in the middle (or an English song with some Tamil words in the middle).
  
  One song from the film "Kaadhal Desam".
  
  "CELLULAR PHONEa pola neengal irundhaal... BAGGY PANT PACKETkullae naangal vaithu kolvom
  CONTACT LENSa pola neengal irundhaal... kannukkul COMPACTaaga naangal vaithu kolvom
  azhagaana penn... endrum... oru INSPIRATION
  munneralaam... kandaal... YOUNGER GENERATION"
  ...
  DATINGkaaga LADIES COLLEGE GATEinil kaathiruppom
  OK endral San Francisco DISCO poi varuvom
  BOYS AND GIRLS... ondraaga paadiyae... aadum
  EVERYDAY... LOVE SEASON... NEW FASHION...
  
  What can I comment on the above Tamil (or English) song?
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ tide70.microsoft.com) on: Wed Dec 9 21:43:41 EST 1998
  
  This topic reminded me of the Anjali song, "Mottai madi mottai madi". There is a part in the middle where the kids sing something like "Stop! Don't move! When I say something you listen to that, when I show something you look at that ....". I think that part was really cool and is okay to be part of the song.
  
  
• From: anju (@ 203.197.129.92) on: Thu Dec 10 02:19:36 EST 1998
  
  can anyone come up with the reason why everyone has to make way for english words when there are tamil equialent for almost all the words (even if there ain't any,tamizh kudimagan is working at it)
  
  
• From: Shankar (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Thu Dec 10 07:27:42 EST 1998
  
  I'm quoting this since this is related to this thread...
  
  There was an interview with one of the most famous
  announcer of ceylon radio Mr.Abdul hameed.
  He said he introduced words like "kumizh munai pEnA" for ball point pen.But now he feels there is no need to call those things that way.
  The reason he quoted was quite convincing.
  
  " In european countries", said he," though they use only their mother tongue for conversation and formal announcements, they call TV as TV and radio as radio ,even in countries like germany & france. Bcos the inventor has kept one name of his desire and we have no rights to change the name given by him.This is MHO ".
  
  So, it actually doesn't matter if words like "telephone" or "Jeans" or "cable TV" etc are used. try singing those songs with "tholaipEsi" "kAlchattai pai" etc.
  It takes the fun out of it.Of course u can avoid using words like "younger generation" "sensation" etc.
  
  
• From: Ravy (@ eagle.vapower.com) on: Thu Dec 10 10:12:59 EST 1998
  
  We want (pronounced wont) power, vendum vendum power - this song from Ratchagan has a line
  'Washington stonewash pottu nangaL vandhalE' ...
  
  What has Washington to do with Stonewash - other than having 'wash' in common? Makes Inspiration .. prespiration .. - good lyric.
  
  

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