While Captain Birdseye's definition might be acceptable to those who restrict their interest to the northern hemisphere, it says nothing about the southern, even amongst those for whom English (in its accepted variants) is their first language; the other languages, whether indigenous or immigrant, don't get a look in at all.

Without wishing to appear critical of anyone, I'd be interested to see how such a definer would deal with the following questions:

Is Sally Sloane's material not traditional? I think Child was dead before she was born but she was the source (pace other threads) for much material of similar background to the ones mentioned and of much else besides.

Is an Aboriginal stockman of the late C19-early C20, singing material collected by nobody until collectors like Cath Ellis or Ron Edwards happened to have a microphone or notebook handy, not singing traditional material? Is the fact they're singing in English, Kriol or non-Balanda language relevant to the definition?

In what circumstances does their material stop being traditional and become something else?

These are tricky enough to sort through without dealing with notions of revival and any part I and others may have played because of our involvement in and with "traditional" material, however defined, I'd have thought.

Cheers, Rowan