Urban legend
Urban Legend
Urban legend (pronounced: /ˈɜːrbən ˈlɛdʒənd/), also known as urban myth or urban tale, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them. The term is often used to mean something akin to an "apocryphal story".
Etymology
The term "urban legend," as used by folklorists, has appeared in print since at least 1968. Jan Harold Brunvand, professor of English at the University of Utah, introduced the term to the general public in a series of popular books published beginning in 1981. Brunvand used his collection of legends, The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings (1981) to make two points: first, that legends and folklore do not occur exclusively in so-called primitive or traditional societies, and second, that one could learn much about urban and modern culture by studying such tales.
Related Terms
- Folklore: The traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.
- Myth: A traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.
- Apocryphal: (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
- Hoax: A humorous or malicious deception.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Urban legend
- Wikipedia's article - Urban legend
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