Finally, the answer to The Question

No, sadly not that question.

The Question I'm refering to is "Callan, what the hell are you actually studying?"

The official answer is that no one really knows. Even scholars in the subject can't agrees. I've read about 30 different definitions from just as many scholars in the subject. They all kind of run in the same direction, but each person will tell you that their definition is not at all like anyone else's.

Some scholars like to focus on the 'folk' part, or "a small group of people", although scholars can't even agree on the definition of the term 'folk'. Other scholars like to focus on the 'lore' part, which has an even more haggled over definition that 'folk.' For example: "the materials of folklore rather than the people who use it"(Dundes).

And this is all in contrast to 'fakelore', which are stories that people make up. Wait, you say, isn't real folklore made up too? Why, yes, yes it is. So what's the difference your inquiring mind might ponder. 'Fakelore'(coined by Dorson, an American) is made up by author's, so stories like Paul Bunyan or the Ossisian Cycle, as opposed to stories without known original authors like, ummmmm...... I think King Arthur qualifies, or OH! Cinderella, that one definitely qualifies.

The one thing everyone seems to agree on is who coined the term 'folklore', which is another interesting story. A man named William John Thoms wrote a letter to "The Athenaeum" under the psuedonom Ambrose Merton (why would you pick this name of all possible names?) and said that the term 'folklore' should replace the term 'popular antiquities' to describe this indescribable area of scholarship. Why the need for a new name? Well, 'popular antiquities' is too latinate a term, the English need "a good saxon compound" (in the words of Merton). Good Grief!!!

So please feel free to make up a definition of my realm of scholastic inquiry. Best one gets chocolate digestives.