The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #45772   Message #677741
Posted By: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
27-Mar-02 - 08:12 PM
Thread Name: Ethnic Folk Music
Subject: RE: Ethnic Folk Music
Still not certain what you are looking for. What do you mean by ethnic? Ethnic has odd meanings in Canada. I can refer to most foreign musics as ethnic. When I call English music ethnic, I get a queer look. Since French is one of the two languages here, are the local French songs just Canadian (or Quebecois) and foreign French songs ethnic? Or does a French song become ethnic if it migrates to western Canada?
I'm not sure what it means in the States, I have been away for almost 50 years.
The first meaning of ethnic in Webster's is heathen. The second is of or relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, religious, linguistic or cultural origins or background. That seems to cover everybody in one way or another, George, even Gaelic! The third relates to members of a minority group that have customs, language or social views in common.
Terrible word, isn't it?