I'm afraid that Jim's (and Pat's) experiences in his 'not-a-rant' are far from unique. Over the years, I have heard of or from quite a few people - including one who has contributed to this thread - who have been bad-mouthed by so-called well qualified experts who have told them that they should not say that they are collecting songs or call themselves collectors because they did not have the the academic background to do so.

Actually, I could also give an example of the opposite being the case. Tina and I were tentatively sharing our recordings of Sussex singers with none other than the person who is at the centre of this thread. I was explaining to Steve that we were enthusiasts and not collectors and he told me not to speak bloody nonsense; that what we had was very valuable. Not long sfter he asked us to give our presentation on Gordon Hall to the joint Sussex Traditions/TMF conference day in Lewes.