Chapter 1 Folklore 101

Defining Folklore

• Scope: Beyond myths, folklore includes jokes, graffiti, and emoticons.

• Origin: Coined by William Thoms in $1846$ to replace "popular antiquities."

'Folk' and 'Lore'

• Folk: Social knowledge required to function within a group (Ward Goodenough).

• Lore: The expressive forms (narratives, customs) through which culture is communicated.

Transmission & Culture Types

• Folk Culture: Informal, person-to-person transmission; dynamic and variable like "telephone."

• Mass Culture: One-to-many transmission; content is identical for all consumers.

• Informal vs. Official: Folklore exists in the informal realm, distinct from institutional legal/formal procedures.

Variation and Tradition

• Variation: The hallmark of folklore; content changes while maintaining group consensus.

• Tradition: Shared practices across time/space (e.g., modern legends).

Conclusion and Importance

• Definition: Folklore is "informal traditional culture."

• Triviality Barrier: The mistaken belief that everyday culture is too mundane for study.

• Purpose: To understand collective identity and everyday human connections.8