I'M ALSO against all the attempts to define 'what is folk?'- it's really pointless, iMHO
I cannot disagree with you!


https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/nov/11/folk-song-in-england-by-steve-roud
"These catchy tunes with their satisfyingly repeating choruses – the correct term is “strophic” – are part of a landscape that is recognisably communal without being nationalistic. And as for the fact that many of them turn out to be as arriviste as Sharp himself, it’s not clear why it should really matter."

The final phrase of the article is key!