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Glite Dictionary
folksong

folksong

1 3.0
A song passed down in a community that tells their stories and beliefs
  • noun
  • /ˈfoʊkˌsɔŋ/
translation icon : canción popular
  • Prior to playing the Holst Suite No. 2 for Military Band, read (or sing) the texts of each folksong.
  • American folksong

Examples

  • Numerous examples of these types of songs are found in 50 Kenyan Folksongs, a song collection arranged by the Kenya Conservatoire of Music located in Nairobi.

    Academic text (1995)

  • We sat there till dusk with the feast and wine, learning her folksongs.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Several of the choice song origin stories in folksong collections are found in only one source, and no references are given.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Traditional Thao Folksong "Happy Party"

    Academic text (2015)

  • She'd sing a line from one of the folksongs.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • While I preferred that she work on a more challenging selection, her affinity for English folksong settings was a guide for my literature search.

    Academic text (2011)

  • We gathered around the campfire as the old man sang a traditional folksong about our town's history.

  • The children listened intently as their grandmother shared the folksong that had been passed down through generations.

  • During the festival, various singers performed local folksongs, showcasing the community's rich cultural heritage.

Synonyms

song
vsfolksong
∞ 1.0

A piece of music with words that people sing

is narrower and focuses on community tradition, culture, and history
folk song
vsfolksong
11 2.2

A song people in a place sing for a long time that tells their stories

is the same in meaning but written as a single word in one form

How Traditional

folk ballad
1 3.5
folksong
1 3.0
folk song
11 2.2
pop
315 1.4

Surface Forms

folksong singular
folksongs plural

Morphology

folksong = folk + song (transparent) = folk + song

Clear and literal compound of 'folk' + 'song' meaning 'a song of the people'; an average learner knowing both components can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Folksong comes from folk meaning 'people' and song, so it means a song of the people. A folksong is a simple tune passed down in a community and that is why it often tells the group's stories and traditions.