Any creative pursuit, painting, sculpture, theatre, literature, music, whatever, has its participants on different levels: researchers, passing commentators, performers, dabblers or observers; all make a contribution, Traditional singing is no different in this respect, whether the participant be the compiler of 'The English And Scottish Popular Ballads' or just a on a seat. Similarly, all those pursuits will have vast armies of non-participant outsiders who have no knowledge or interest in the subject in question.
So 75% have no idea of the meaning of tradition – so what, (wonder where that figure came from; must have missed that MORI poll!) If we present our songs well, with skill conviction and passion, perhaps we'll get bigger audiences and maybe the singing won't die, but one thing is certain; whether you call it traditional, folk, collected, source or Swiss Cheese music will not make one iota of difference, we will draw people in on the basis of our art and not on how we package it. For anybody wishing to explore further, there is more than enough well researched and skillfully written literature on the subject to fulfill anybody's requirements and make sure that anybody who wishes to can easily find out the difference between traditional song and traditional lace making. Any suggestion that the general public is incapable of grasping the beauties and subtleties of our music is patronising arrogance.
'Traditional' is an excellent term for the type of singing under discussion, whether used as a noun or an adjective. It perfectly describes the creation, re-creation and transmission of our songs; far better than opera or ballet or classical does for other forms of musical activity in my opinion. I suggest that any attempt to replace the word would be unnecessary and unbelievably stupid – have we learned nothing from the shambolic shift from 'folk' to 'traditional'.   
Language can be a beautiful thing if it is allowed to develop naturally; any attempts to intervene and legislate never fail to set alarm bells ringing in me. Some time in the next couple of days/weeks I will read in my newspaper of "collateral damage", "friendly fire" and "pacification", when I should be reading "massacre of civilians", "killing off your own side" and "the suppressing of opposition". If, some time in the future, 'traditional' becomes redundant, so be it, let it happen naturally and let's leave the manipulation of language to the Rupert Murdochs, George Bushs, and Tony Blairs of this world.
I have a confession; during this debate impure thoughts have entered my mind. The combination of PRS Members anonymity, his/her own description as a (can't remember exactly) fairly prominent public performer, a somewhat vociferous insistence that we stop using the word 'traditional', his/her membership of a self appointed, interested pressure group and a somewhat unhealthy emphasis on the financial aspects of the music has led me to wonder if there isn't a hidden agenda at play here. I wondered at one stage if he/she wasn't deliberately attempting to muddy the water so as to be able to add the title 'traditional performer' to his/her C.V.
On the other hand, should the UK be steeling itself for a hostile takeover of traditional music by P.R.S. similar to the one we have experienced from IMRO recently here in Ireland.
Nah; couldn't be!
The more charitable side of me puts his/her insistence on anonymity down to the fact that he/she has been reading too many John LeCarre novels or seeing too many James Bond films. Or maybe he/she is really Clark Kent or Diana Prince!
If he/she is really in fear for his/her career by speaking his/her mind publicly he/she should seriously consider a career change, or at the very least, get himself/herself into a decent Trades Union. Those employment conditions are usually reserved for asylum seekers nowadays!
Jim Carroll
PS Cap'n - meant no offence; I was taken aback somewhat at your apparent readiness to accept what I believe to be a very flawed argument.
PPS The Roud index gives Lake and Lakes in more-or-less equal measure. Far be it for me to defend Christy Moore, but I'm pretty sure his version came from Paddy McLusky of Armagh (Sam Henry 1935 and BBC 1953) who sings "Lakes".