Re dictionaries. With a little more reflection on my part, should we not be at least using a dictionary definition as a starting point, to save a lot of the initial arguing. I know this is part of the game, but it can also be tedious. Without turning to the laughingly-named Shorter Oxford (or I'd be posting till tomorrow night) I always find Chambers a reliable source. For those who are Chambersless here are the relevant 'who?' definitions
1) people, collectively or distributively: a nation or people: the people, commons (arch.)
2) Those of one's own family, relations (coll): now generally used as a plural (either folk or folks)

It then defines the adjective 'folk' and gives all of the hyphenated words like 'folk-art'.

I presume the use of 'archaic' is referring to the word 'commons' only as in the House of Commons. Interesting that it doesn't actually state 'the common people'. It means all of us!

Pedant/peasant