folk

Have you ever driven a Volkswagen? In German, the word "folk" (volk) means people. It’s also used in English when referring to people. The "l" in "folk" is silent, and the word is often in the plural form.

• Hi folks! (Hi everyone.)
• How are you folks doing today?
• I’m meeting my folks for dinner this evening. (Sometimes "folks" is used for parents.)
• How are your folks doing? (How are your parents doing?)
• The folks who live next door are very nice. (folks = people)
• Everyone loves Bobby and Linda because they’re just plain folks.
• Delores says that most of her kinfolk live on the east coast. (kinfolk = people of an extended family)

Folk is also a style of music, art, and literature that is created by ordinary people or represents people’s dreams and desires:

Do you like folk music? Bob Dylan is a folk musician. He’s well known for the folk music that he wrote and performed in the 1960s.
Folk dancing is the traditional dance that people learn and practice as part of their culture.
Folk art is simple and colorful. Amateur artists create folk art.
Useful items such as handcarved mugs are also considered folk art.
Folk tales are stories that are well known among the people of a particular place or culture.
A folk hero is a person who fights against cruel kings or governments. He or she is a defender of the people. Robin Hood is a folk hero.

That’s all folks!

(This is kind of an expression that means something has come to a conclusion.)

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June 24, 2015