As I've said in this thread before, the first important phase of european folk lore collection is associated with romantic nationalism (the Grimms, Elias Lonnrot, Herder, Fichte). Ideological uses (and misuses) of folk music would be a nice subject for another thread.

I find it intriguing that the focus here is ENGLISH rather than, say, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire or Northumbrian regional ra-ra-ing.

It seems to me that an English identity is oppositional, and is sharpened by the need for definition AGAINST those over a border (to Scotland or Wales). It is, in other words, self definition that is negatively constructed AGAINST a non-English OTHER.

Whereas a regional area identity is far more 'real' in the sense of being associated with specific regional dialect, food, field and farming traditions, vernacular architecture and so forth.

Honestly, I'm not sure why I am bothering to post coherent thoughts here in the middle of a playground name-calling mob.