>>Sorry, Nick, but we tried. Many of us old geeks did the best we could.

Good for you for at least trying to do something about something you cared about - many people don't bother. But I'm sorry to report that I don't think you succeeded and that your chances of turning the clock back fifty years and getting your word out of common usage and back into it's 'proper' place are very small.

I went to a mini folk festival today (it said it on the pub window - "Folk Fest here") but I'm not sure that I heard ANY folk songs at all. I played along with some Irish, Northumbrian etc tunes. I heard country and western (both sorts of music). John Martyn. Joni Mitchell. Irish songs (Wild Rover of course). Some blues. A bit of bluegrass. Some pop songs (including the Kinks). Steve Tilston. Phil Ochs. But no folk music that I spotted though there may have been some in the other room.

If the 'folk' crowd have given up singing folk songs it's a long way back.