Okiemockbird: This is going to be positively my last word on the subject, and I'm afraid I'm going to sound patronising, but I don't mean to be. I think it's like the Harley: if you can't see it, you wouldn't understand even if it was explained. I have no axe to grind on the subject of "ritual" -- if you don't like it, don't use it. I use it only when I wish to lump together Morris, Long-sword and Rapper and distinguish them from Country Dancing.

I had to look up "tendentious", and find it defined as "intended to further a cause". What cause do you belive the coiners of the adjective ritual wrt Morris Dancing were intending to further?