folk

See also: Folk and fólk

English

Alternative forms

• voke, volk, volke (dialectal)

Etymology

From Middle English folk, from Old English folc, from Proto-Germanic *fulką, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁-gós, from *pleh₁- (“to fill”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fəʊk/
• IPA^(key): /foʊk/, /foʊlk/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊk

Adjective

folk (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the inhabitants of a land, their culture, tradition, or history.
2. Of or pertaining to common people as opposed to ruling classes or elites.
3. (architecture) Of or related to local building materials and styles.
4. Believed or transmitted by the common people; not academically correct or rigorous.

   folk psychology; folk linguistics

Derived terms

• folk etymology

Translations

of or related to local building materials and styles; not imported — see also vernacular

• Czech: lidový (cs)
• Polish: ludowy (pl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: наро́дный (ru) (naródnyj)
• Slovak: ľudový

believed or transmitted by the common people; not academically correct or rigorous — see also believed or transmitted by the common people; not academically correct or rigorous

• Polish: ludowy (pl), zwyczajowy (pl), popularny (pl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: наро́дный (ru) (naródnyj)

Noun

folk (plural folk or folks)

1. (archaic) A grouping of smaller peoples or tribes as a nation.
   • J. R. Green

     The organization of each folk, as such, sprang mainly from war.

2. The inhabitants of a region, especially the native inhabitants.
   • 1907, Race Prejudice, Jean Finot, page 251:

     We thus arrive at a most unexpected imbroglio. The French have become a Germanic folk and the Germanic folk have become Gaulish!

3. (plural only, plural: folks) One’s relatives, especially one’s parents.
4. (music) Folk music.
5. (plural only) People in general.

   Young folk, old folk, everybody come, / To our little Sunday School and have a lot of fun.

   • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest‎^[1]:

     “[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes […] . And then, when you see [the senders], you probably find that they are the most melancholy old folk with malignant diseases. […]”

6. (plural only) A particular group of people.

Derived terms

Terms derived from the adjective or noun folk

• folk devil
• folk etymology
• folk hero

• folklike
• folklore
• folk medicine
• folk memory
• folkmoot

• folk music
• folk song
• folkster
• folksy

Related terms

Terms etymologically related to folk

• volk (dialectal)

Translations

inhabitants of a region

• Armenian: ժողովուրդ (hy) (žoġovurd)
• Belarusian: наро́д m (naród)
• Dutch: volk (nl)
• French: peuple (fr)
• Galician: pobo (gl) m, xente f, grei (gl) f
• Gaulish: touta
• German: Volk (de)
• Italian: gente (it) f, autoctono (it), popolo (it) m, abitante (it) m
• Latin: populus (la), habitans, vivens (la)
• Norwegian: folk (no) n, befolkning (no) m or f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Old English: folc (ang)
• Old Saxon: folk
• Polish: lud (pl) m
• Portuguese: povo (pt) m
• Russian: наро́д (ru) m (naród)
• Scots: fowk
• Spanish: pueblo (es), gente (es)
• Swedish: folk (sv) n
• Ukrainian: наро́д (naród)
• West Frisian: folk

Further reading

• "folk" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 136.

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Danish

Etymology 1

From Old Norse fólk, from Proto-Germanic *fulką.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔlk/, [fʌlˀɡ̊]

Noun

folk n (singular definite folket, plural indefinite folk)

1. people
2. men
3. crew

Declension

Declension of folk

neuter gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	folk	folket	folk	folkene
genitive	folks	folkets	folks	folkenes

Synonyms

• (nation): folkeslag, nation

Derived terms

• hoffolk

Further reading

• “folk” in Den Danske Ordbog
• “folk” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog

Etymology 2

From English folk (“folk music”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈfɔwɡ̊]

Noun

folk c (singular definite folken, not used in plural form)

1. folk music (contemporary music in the style of traditional folk music)

See also

• Template:projectlink

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Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfolk(i)/, [ˈfo̞lk(i)]

Noun

folk

1. (music) folk, folk music

Declension

Inflection of folk (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		folk	folkit
genitive		folkin	folkien
partitive		folkia	folkeja
illative		folkiin	folkeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		folk	folkit
accusative	nom.	folk	folkit
	gen.	folkin
genitive		folkin	folkien
partitive		folkia	folkeja
inessive		folkissa	folkeissa
elative		folkista	folkeista
illative		folkiin	folkeihin
adessive		folkilla	folkeilla
ablative		folkilta	folkeilta
allative		folkille	folkeille
essive		folkina	folkeina
translative		folkiksi	folkeiksi
abessive		folkitta	folkeitta
instructive		—	folkein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of folk (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative folkini folkini accusative nom. folkini folkini gen. folkini genitive folkini folkieni partitive folkiani folkejani inessive folkissani folkeissani elative folkistani folkeistani illative folkiini folkeihini adessive folkillani folkeillani ablative folkiltani folkeiltani allative folkilleni folkeilleni essive folkinani folkeinani translative folkikseni folkeikseni abessive folkittani folkeittani instructive — — comitative — folkeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative folkisi folkisi accusative nom. folkisi folkisi gen. folkisi genitive folkisi folkiesi partitive folkiasi folkejasi inessive folkissasi folkeissasi elative folkistasi folkeistasi illative folkiisi folkeihisi adessive folkillasi folkeillasi ablative folkiltasi folkeiltasi allative folkillesi folkeillesi essive folkinasi folkeinasi translative folkiksesi folkeiksesi abessive folkittasi folkeittasi instructive — — comitative — folkeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative folkimme folkimme accusative nom. folkimme folkimme gen. folkimme genitive folkimme folkiemme partitive folkiamme folkejamme inessive folkissamme folkeissamme elative folkistamme folkeistamme illative folkiimme folkeihimme adessive folkillamme folkeillamme ablative folkiltamme folkeiltamme allative folkillemme folkeillemme essive folkinamme folkeinamme translative folkiksemme folkeiksemme abessive folkittamme folkeittamme instructive — — comitative — folkeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative folkinne folkinne accusative nom. folkinne folkinne gen. folkinne genitive folkinne folkienne partitive folkianne folkejanne inessive folkissanne folkeissanne elative folkistanne folkeistanne illative folkiinne folkeihinne adessive folkillanne folkeillanne ablative folkiltanne folkeiltanne allative folkillenne folkeillenne essive folkinanne folkeinanne translative folkiksenne folkeiksenne abessive folkittanne folkeittanne instructive — — comitative — folkeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative folkinsa folkinsa accusative nom. folkinsa folkinsa gen. folkinsa genitive folkinsa folkiensa partitive folkiaan folkiansa folkejaan folkejansa inessive folkissaan folkissansa folkeissaan folkeissansa elative folkistaan folkistansa folkeistaan folkeistansa illative folkiinsa folkeihinsa adessive folkillaan folkillansa folkeillaan folkeillansa ablative folkiltaan folkiltansa folkeiltaan folkeiltansa allative folkilleen folkillensa folkeilleen folkeillensa essive folkinaan folkinansa folkeinaan folkeinansa translative folkikseen folkiksensa folkeikseen folkeiksensa abessive folkittaan folkittansa folkeittaan folkeittansa instructive — — comitative — folkeineen folkeinensa

Compounds

• folklaulaja
• folkmusiikki

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• volk, foolk, fok

Etymology

From Old English folc.

Noun

folk (plural folk or folkes)

1. folk
   • c. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue, line LINES:

     At nyght was come into that hostelrye / Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye / Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle / In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,

     There came at nightfall to that hostelry / Some nine and twenty in a company / Of sundry folk who had chanced to fall / In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all

Descendants

• English: folk
• Scots: fowk

References

• “folk, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse fólk, folk, from Proto-Germanic *fulką.

Noun

folk n (definite singular folket, indefinite plural folk, definite plural folka or folkene)

1. a people
2. people in general
3. folk

Derived terms

Terms derived from folk

• bygdefolk
• fagfolk
• folkeavstemning
• folkedans
• folkeetymologi
• folkeferd
• folkefest
• folkefiende
• Folkeforbundet
• folkegruppe
• folkehelt
• folkelig

• folkemedisin
• folkemengde
• folkemening
• folkemord
• folkemusikk
• folkeopinion
• folkerepublikk
• folkerik
• folkeslag
• folkestamme
• folketall
• folketelling

• folketetthet
• folketro
• folkevalgt
• forretningsfolk
• handelsfolk
• kvinnfolk
• mannfolk
• nomadefolk
• pengefolk
• sjøfolk
• urfolk

Related terms

• avfolke
• befolke

References

• “folk” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse fólk, folk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔlk/

Noun

folk n (definite singular folket, indefinite plural folk, definite plural folka)

1. people

   Folk er rare.

   People are strange.

   Nordmennene er eit rart folk.

   The Norwegians are a strange people.

Derived terms

Terms derived from folk

• bygdefolk
• fagfolk
• folkedans
• folkeetymologi
• folkefest
• folkefiende
• Folkeforbundet
• folkegruppe
• folkehelt
• folkemedisin
• folkemeining

• folkemengd, folkemengde
• folkemord
• folkemusikk
• folkeopinion
• folkerepublikk
• folkerik
• folkerøysting
• folkesetnad
• folkeslag
• folkestamme
• folketal

• folketettleik
• folketru
• forretningsfolk
• handelsfolk
• kvinnfolk
• mannfolk
• nomadefolk
• pengefolk
• sjøfolk
• urfolk

References

• “folk” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

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Old Frisian

Alternative forms

• fulk,

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *fulką.

Noun

folk n

1. people, folk

Inflection

Declension of folk (neuter a-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	folk	folk
genitive	folkes	folka
dative	folke	folkum, folkem
accusative	folk	folk

Descendants

• North Frisian:

  Föhr-Amrum: folk

• Saterland Frisian: Foulk
• West Frisian: folk

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Old Saxon

Alternative forms

• folc

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *fulką.

Noun

folk n

1. people, folk

Declension

Declension of folk (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	folk	folk
accusative	folk	folk
genitive	folkes	folkō
dative	folke	folkun
instrumental	—	—

Descendants

• Middle Low German: volk
  • Low German:
    • German Low German:

      Hamburgisch: Volk

    • Westphalian:

      Ravensbergisch-Lippisch: Folk

      Sauerländisch: Volk

      Westmünsterländisch: Volk

  • Plautdietsch: Volkj

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Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from English folk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfow.ki/

Noun

folk m (uncountable)

1. (music) folk music (contemporary music in traditional style)

Synonyms

• música folk

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Scots

Noun

folk (plural folks)

1. Alternative spelling of fowk

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Spanish

Etymology

English folk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfolɡ/ [ˈfolɣ̞]

Noun

folk m (uncountable)

1. folk (music)

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Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse fólk, folk, from Proto-Germanic *fulką.

Pronunciation

• audio:

  (file)

Noun

folk n

1. (uncountable) people in general, humans
2. a people, a nation; in compounds referring to local or national traditions (folklore), national institutions (folkhem) or international relations (folkrätt)

Declension

Declension of folk
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	folk	folket	folk	folken
Genitive	folks	folkets	folks	folkens

Compounds

• folka
• folkabuss
• folkdräkt
• folkförbund
• folkhem
• folkhushållning
• folklig
• folkliv
• folklivsforskare
• folklore
• folkminne
• folkmusik
• folköl
• folkpartist
• folkrätt
• folksång
• folkvagn
• folkvisa

 

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West Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian folk, from Proto-Germanic *fulką.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /folk/

Noun

folk n (plural folken, diminutive folkje)

1. people, folk

Further reading

• “folk”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

Interjection

folk

1. call at the door if anyone's home