die
Folklore
📜 What exactly does "die Folklore" mean?
Die Folklore (feminine) refers to the entirety of the traditional, handed-down culture of a specific community or people. This includes customs, traditions, songs, dances, sagas, fairy tales, legends, handicrafts, and other forms of expression passed down orally or through imitation from generation to generation.
It is a loanword from English (folk + lore) and is always used in German with the article "die".
🚨 Attention: The word is often used in the singular as it is a collective noun. A plural form ("die Folkloren") is uncommon and rarely used.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
📚 Grammar of "die Folklore" at a Glance
The noun "Folklore" is feminine and is normally only used in the singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (subject) | die | Folklore |
| Genitive (possessive) | der | Folklore |
| Dative (indirect object) | der | Folklore |
| Accusative (direct object) | die | Folklore |
A plural form ("die Folkloren") is very rare and mostly conceivable only in specialized contexts when referring to the specific folklore systems of different cultures.
Example Sentences
- Die bayerische Folklore ist reich an Traditionen.
(Bavarian folklore is rich in traditions.) - Das Museum widmet sich der regionalen Folklore.
(The museum is dedicated to regional folklore.) - Viele Märchen sind Teil der deutschen Folklore.
(Many fairy tales are part of German folklore.) - Manchmal wird Folklore auch touristisch vermarktet.
(Sometimes folklore is also marketed for tourism.)
💡 Application and Context: When to use "die Folklore"?
"Die Folklore" is used to describe the entirety of the cultural traditions of a people or group. Here are some typical contexts:
- Cultural Studies: It is a central term in ethnology or Volkskunde (folklore studies).
- Everyday Language: When talking about traditional customs, music, dances, or stories (e.g., "Das gehört zur lokalen Folklore" - That's part of the local folklore).
- Tourism: Often used to describe cultural performances or products for tourists (sometimes with a slightly derogatory connotation if perceived as superficial or commercialized).
Distinction from similar terms
🧠 Mnemonics for "die Folklore"
Article Mnemonic: Think of *die* Kultur (culture), *die* Tradition (tradition), *die* Überlieferung (lore/transmission) – all these feminine nouns are part of die Folklore.
Meaning Mnemonic: The English word is right there: Folk + Lore. It's the lore of the folk – everything a group of people traditionally knows and does.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "die Folklore"
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Volkskunde: More the academic study of it.
- Brauchtum: Relates more strongly to customs and traditions.
- Überlieferung: More general, can include non-material things.
- Volksgut: Similar to folklore, emphasizes the possessive character ("goods of the people").
- Tradition: Broader term.
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Moderne: The contemporary, new.
- Avantgarde: Pioneering artistic or cultural movement.
- Hochkultur: Often seen as the opposite of "folk culture"/folklore.
- Globalisierung / Mainstream-Kultur: More unified, international culture.
⚠️ Caution: Words like "Kitsch" might sometimes be used in the context of commercialized folklore, but they are not true synonyms.
😂 A Little Joke
Fragt der Städter den Bauern: "Was ist eigentlich der Unterschied zwischen Kultur und Folklore?"
Sagt der Bauer: "Wenn ich meine Kühe mit klassischer Musik beschalle, ist das Kultur. Wenn sie dann im Takt muhen, ist das Folklore!" 🐄🎶
(City dweller asks the farmer: "What's actually the difference between culture and folklore?"
Farmer says: "When I play classical music for my cows, that's culture. When they then moo in rhythm, that's folklore!")
✍️ A Poem about Folklore
Die Folklore, alt und bunt,
Macht uns die Weltgeschichte kund.
Von Sagen tief, aus alter Zeit,
Von Tanz und Lied, von Freud und Leid.
Im Handwerk lebt sie, fein und schlicht,
Ein überliefertes Gedicht.
Sie wurzelt tief, hält uns vereint,
Ein Schatz, der immer neu erscheint.
(Folklore, old and colorful,
Makes world history known to us.
Of deep legends, from ancient times,
Of dance and song, of joy and sorrow.)
(In crafts it lives, fine and simple,
A handed-down poem.
It is deeply rooted, keeps us united,
A treasure that always reappears.)
🧩 Riddle Time
Ich bin die Summe alter Sitten,
hab' Märchen, Lieder, Tanz erstritten.
Ich lebe im Volk, von Mund zu Mund,
und mache alte Zeiten kund.
Wer oder was bin ich?
(I am the sum of old customs,
have fought for fairy tales, songs, dance.
I live among the people, from mouth to mouth,
and make old times known.
Who or what am I?)
... Die Folklore (Folklore)
🧐 More Trivia
- Word Origin: As mentioned, an English loanword coined in the 19th century by the British writer William Thoms.
- International Meaning: The term "Folklore" is used internationally and has a similar meaning in many languages.
- Intangible Cultural Heritage: Many aspects of folklore are now protected by organizations like UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Folklore?
The German word Folklore is a noun adopted from English, referring to the collective traditional cultural heritage of a people (customs, legends, songs, etc.). It always takes the feminine article: die Folklore. It's a collective noun and therefore almost exclusively used in the singular.