I too am from the North East of England. Toots, your observation touches on the essence of what constitutes the most narrow definition of folk music: music altered by its very use. Once written down it becomes static and no longer qualifies as 'definitive' folk. Allowed the freedom of interpretation it lives on and grows so that you can have co-existing the Sting/Jimmy Nail version that uses "my bonny hinny" right alongside the Owen Brannigan version that uses "ma bonny hinny."

In anticipation of folk-definition guardians, asbestos undies already donned.