LETTER | I refer to the letter “Minnal FM Tamil Radio Station Should Be Responsible” by Ashok Raj.

The reader was evidently misguided in his criticism of Minnal FM deejays, apparently due to his lack of understanding of the role of radio presenters and nuances in language.

The primary role of a radio deejay is to captivate the attention of the audience. Radio is a mass medium that heavily relies on the power of the human voice and the ability to use language to connect with the unseen audience.

Tamil is a classical language inundated with semantics. It’s a rule of semantics that being able to interpret an entire sentence holds more value than understanding the meaning of individual words or phrases.

The phrase “Manasu mattum inikattum” should not be read in isolation of the theme of the Deepavali campaign which is to reduce the intake of sugar in our food. The phrase is suitable.

Going by what Ashok says, the adjective sweet in “sweet memories”, would be a misnomer as memories are meant to be either memorable or unforgettable.

The allegedly “unimportant chatter” by the deejays is designed to establish a personal connection in the minds of the listeners. It’s just too bad if there are listeners who are unable to establish such a connection. They very well could be the exceptions.

I agree with Ashok on one thing though. The listeners are indeed intelligent. That is why they understand what Minnal FM deejays are trying to convey and will not label them as foolish or irresponsible.

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