Of course folk music adapts, that is what makes it folk music. The question at issue here seems to be whether it has adapted into Ani DiFranco, or not.

Not according to Richard. Richard's argument in his "1954 definition" is that ADF can't be a folksinger, not because of her material or her style of writing, but because of the way she learnt her material. If what she sings is folk (and that is a separate question) then he insists we, and the Guardian, should call her a "folksong-singer".

Finches evolve, and presumably in time could evolve into elephants. But they are not famous for it so far.

Gotta be line of the month there. :-)

But if we keep the animal analogy, you certainly don't see many elephant-like finches, but penguins have evolved to behave rather like dolphins, which are mammals evolved to behave rather like fish... That's why I think fighting the "this is folk, and that isn't" battle is pointless. Hence "folk-rock" or whatever tags to give a better description of the parents that spawned it or the niche it's filling, and to differentiate it from "traditional folk".

Graham.