The present volume explains how Tamil Folklore is related to the fields of Psychology, Sociology, History and Semiotics. Among its functions folklore provides a socially sanctioned outlet for the expression of what cannot be articulated in the more usual, direct way. It is precisely in folktales, folksongs, proverbs etc., that anxieties can be vented. Psychoanalysis of folksongs, folktales and proverbs is the first part of the volume. In part two, Sociology and folklore, some of the important theories of two eminent scholars namely Emile Durkheim and M.N.Srinivas are taken up for application of analysis in Tamil folklore. They are ‘Social facts’ from Durkheim and ‘Sansritisation’ and Social change etc., from Srinivas. Part three, History and folklore, Conveys the idea that written history of a country or community is not complete without its oral history. Myths, legends, songs etc., are the source materials for knowing the history of a given people, as told and believed by them, and thus these folk genres become the counterparts of the written historical records. In part four, Semiotics and folklore, communication models and theories developed by great scholars namely Ferdinand de Saussure, C.S.Peirce, Roman Jakobson and J.L.Austin have been taken up for application of analysis in oral literature.weiterlesen