"but it is not forthcoming."

Yest it is Vic and it has been from the very beginning
If we are talking about the same music we have been involved in it long enough for it not to be necessary to deman I should spell it out
Folk song is unique for what it is - folk song - the voice of the people
Bert's question is succinct enough - he indicates there are differences and wrote a book on those differences - do you really want me to summarise that book?
The opinions of those I listed most certainly do count - they based their work on the folk songs I recognise as s=uch and rejected the ones Roud has inclued in his re-definition
If you don't understand that, I af far too old to learn a new language
Jim