Who are the "folk" in Folklore?
You are the folk. Today's folklorists recognize
that whether you live on a farm or in a high-rise, you have a folklore.
In fact, regardless of your income or education, you are rich in
folklore. If you have a job, you know the specialized jargon that comes
with the occupation. Though you might not have a job that spills over
with jargon (such as
railroading) most
jobs, even working the night shift at Burger King, provide some
distinct words or phrases (vist the Jargon
Database). Further, as a member of a family, you likely
learn and pass on stories about relatives, eat certain foods for
Thanksgiving, and have an effect on each other's vocabulary and
pronunciation. As a member of a social class, interest group, or ethnic
group, you will have also collected
and shared an abundance of folklore. Of course, if you would
like to read about a folk society--where behavior and folklore are
intricately intertwined--you can look at a few observations I
made after my June 2002 visit with the Old Order Amish in Michigan.