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1、American folklore (Superstition, Customs, Tradition)美国民俗迷信、习俗、传统.Definitionsfolklore, superstition, customs, tradition. Typical Examples of American Folklore. Conclusion. DefinitionsWhat is folklore? Folklore is a collection of all mental frameworks, rules, categories, and patterns that a particular
2、 group of people have collected and passed along from generation to generation. Folklore can take many forms, songs, stories, arts, and proverbsamong which superstitions, customs, and traditions are the only way that folklore is expressed in the lives of ordinary people.What is superstition? The wor
3、d “superstition” often implies ignorance and foolishness. (1) Folklore beliefs (2) Concepts involving “beliefs, practices, and procedures based upon conscious or unconscious assumptions, usually concerned with the nature of cause and effect”. (3) Beliefs that often take the form of “If A, then B, un
4、less C” For example, if you break a mirror (A), then you will have seven years of bad luck (B), unless you get all the pieces and throw them in running water (C) What are customs and traditions? Customs and traditions are also expressions of folklore. They are behaviors that may be related to supers
5、tition or other belief structures. Customs are actions that are repeated over and over; they are the things an individual or a particular group of people is accustomed to doing. Tradition is a similar concept to custom. It refers to beliefs, knowledge, and customs that are handed on from generation
6、to generation. According to one dictionary definition, traditions are also the force that is exerted by the past upon the present.Examples of American FolkloreAbout Love and Marriage Across north America, people are fascinated by romance. Our attraction to the opposite sex is one of most powerful an
7、d often unpredictable forces in our lives. Folklore seeks ways to make this nearly universal experience more manageable. It gives clues about how to determine just who the true love is; and it provides people with assurance that the right person really is out there.(1) Superstitions About Finding Lo
8、ve If you wear red and yellow, you will catch a fellow. If you see a falling star, you will soon be kissed. You will be married soon if you meet a friend who does not recognize you. If you drop a spoon, you will soon find your beloved one. If you kiss the turned-up hem of your dress, you will get a
9、new sweetheart.(2)Superstitions About Future Mate Its not easy to decide who to love and marry. Sometimes, especially for young girls, its even more difficult to believe that they will ever marry at all. Various superstitions from North America are designed to assure young people that their future m
10、ate is out there; and provide them with some clues about that persons nature. If you have a white string hanging on your body, you will marry a widow. Sit on a table, and you will marry a crazy man. A girl will marry the first man she sees on May Day. If an unmarried person drops a fork at the table
11、, it points toward the persons future mate. Sleep on a piece of wedding cake, and you will dream of your future mate. If you see a strange man three times in a row, you will marry him.Wedding Superstitions If the wedding day is windy, the bride will be a grouchy wife. If it rains on a brides veil, s
12、he will be rich. Blest is the bride that the sun shines on. It is a bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding day. It is a sign of good luck for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold of their new home. Most modern brides still follow the old tradition that dictates they sh
13、ould wear:Something old, something newSomething borrowed, something blue2. About Luck Luck is that purposeless, unpredictable, and uncontrollable force that shapes our lifes event, for good or ill. Although luck cant really be predicated, many folk beliefs try to predict ways of bringing good luck o
14、r avoiding bad luck.Signs for Bad Luck Black cats are a sign of bad luck. Walking under a ladder will bring bad luck. Breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. Open an umbrella inside brings bad luck Singing or whistling in bed will attract bad luckThings that brings good luckCrickets ladybu
15、gs Daddy longlegs four-leaf cloverOther traditional Sayings Never give a knife as a gift. Knives must always be paid for, even with a penny, to avoid bad luck for both the giver and the receiver. If a woman is your first guest on New Years Day, you will have bad luck; if a man is your first guest, however, your luck will be good. See a pin, pick it up,All day long youll have good luck.See a pin, leave it lay,Have bad luck all through the day.3. About Death Different cultures all have their way to foresee deaths approach. This traditions and stories take away som
