I proud of title for this little peece. I not knowing what discursive means. But I seeing it in one of those academmic journals. I wonder if it only a speling error. It more likely to be discussive, which at least making some sense, though I not sure if that in turn is correct also. Where we be? Yes. English, Tamil, film, music. Songs. It a curious phenomenon that, in early part of 2nd half of previous century, the Tamil in film songs was very good. Curious in light of later developments, later in same century and in this current blighted one the 21st, in which it gradually came to sound more and more like someone hocking up gobs of phlegm. Songs today having…by the way, wait a minute, if you being bored, it not my fault, this academmic paper, don’t be expecting non-stop thrills…as we were saying, songs today having conversation of retarded cave dwellers as lyrics. Back then, it was not so. Even so, even though Tamil in songs was good, they felt need to use English also. They being polyblots. Or is it being polyplots? As case may be. We shall now examine phenomenon in light of well known egg-sample.

Case in point being the evergreen O ho endhan baby. Here just the pallavi:

Male:

O ho endhan baby!
Nee varai endhan baby!
Kalai mevum varna jaalam konda kolam kanalam!
O ho endhan baaaaaby!

To which female respounding:

O ho endhan darling!
Nee varai endhan darling!
Kalai mevum varna jaalam konda kolam kanalam!
O ho endhan daaaaarling!

As can be seen, two words in this song so far being borrowed from English, namely, ‘baby’ and ‘darling’. Now we examining these two words and engaging in speculation as to possible reasons and circumstances of their finding their way all the way from England into a Tamil film song.

We also mentioning that we leaving aside historical and geopolitical situation of song and confining our study to artistic considerations.

Imagine for moment that lyricist of yore, sitting in cramped room outside recording room in studio in sepia tone. Music director giving him tune (what ragam and talam beyond scope of current study) and waiting for words. Lyricist sitting there, also waiting. He needing two syllable word conveying much love, capable of being extended like javvu mittai, because it has pleased composer to put alapana in middle of word. He trying Tamil words, but no go. No doubt they existing, lurking in some dim corner of mind, but right now being coy.

Then all of a sudden like bang from blue it come to him: baby. It English word, but all audiences getting it. It two syllables and having a in it. Then one number more bang from blue arriving, close on heels of first one. He will put darling in mouth of heroine! That also, incidently, coincidently, being two syllables with a in middle! That also widely understood!

Perhaps, I thinking, I using too many exclaimations for academmic paper, but it not being able to be helped. One more point worth noting; all the rest of the other words in song being pure, caste Tamil. Like it be o ho endhan baby, not o ho en baby, for egg sample. This meaning three things: 1. Lyricist not deliberately setting out to write nonsense. 2. He using English only because suitable Tamil word not occuring in time. 3. People writing film songs today will undoubtedly benefitting from such egg samples, and even more from sharp rap on knuckles.  

In conclusion (all academmic papers having conclusion), bye bye.