folklore
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folklore
The totality of the traditional heritage of a people or community, such as songs, dances, legends, customs, and handicrafts.
Die irische Folklore ist reich an Geschichten über Feen und Kobolde.
Irish folklore is rich in stories about fairies and leprechauns.
folklore
Colloquially and often disparagingly, an event or presentation that is perceived as overly traditional, kitschy, or staged only for tourists.
Das Stadtfest war reine Folklore, um die Besucher zu unterhalten.
The town festival was pure folklore, meant to entertain the visitors.
'Folklore' is an uncountable noun (Singularetantum). It is almost always used without an article or with the definite article 'die' and has no plural form.
In diesem Museum lernen Sie viel über die lokale Folklore.
In this museum, you learn a lot about the local folklore.
The positive meaning (tradition) is often connected with a region, e.g. 'bayerische Folklore' (Bavarian folklore). The negative, colloquial meaning (kitsch) is often signaled by words like 'reine' (pure) or 'bloße' (mere) and usually describes commercial events.
Die Tänze sind ein wichtiger Teil der schottischen Folklore.
The dances are an important part of Scottish folklore.
In its main meaning, 'Folklore' is often combined with a geographic origin. Typical examples are 'alpine Folklore' (Alpine folklore), 'slawische Folklore' (Slavic folklore), or 'südamerikanische Folklore' (South American folklore).
Die Musikgruppe spielt traditionelle Lieder aus der andalusischen Folklore.
The music group plays traditional songs from Andalusian folklore.
When 'Folklore' describes a kitschy event, the usage is colloquial and has a negative or disparaging meaning. It expresses that something is not authentic, but only for show.
Die Begrüßung mit Blasmusik war doch reine Folklore für die Kameras.
The welcome with brass band music was really pure folklore for the cameras.
tradition
Both words can refer to customs passed down through a culture. „Die Tradition“ usually refers to a single custom or inherited practice, while „die Folklore“ means the entire body of a community’s culture, including songs, dances, legends, and customs. Use „Tradition“ for one element and „Folklore“ for the cultural whole.
Die Folklore der Region umfasst Lieder, Tänze, Sagen und alte Handwerkskunst.
The region’s folklore includes songs, dances, legends, and traditional handicrafts.
Das gemeinsame Tanzen am Erntefest ist eine alte Tradition der Region.
Dancing together at the harvest festival is an old tradition in the region.
