But he wasn't only fascinated with books. For as long as he can remember, Griffith has been interested in the oral traditions of communities, families and groups. He became a folklorist to study these cultural customs of the past and present. Folklore, he said, is the ever-evolving verbal behavior of communities, whether at home, in the workplace or in the schoolyard. Fourth grade girls sing jump rope rhymes that deal symbolically with future worries.
Adolescent boys recite urban legends in the dark to frighten each other.
Emergency room doctors relate an incident in gruesome, clinical detail in order to distance themselves from the pain that surrounds them. These are all examples of folklore, Griffith said, as is any oral tradition that stands the test of time. Compare the folklore of teen-age girls today with those of 50 years ago, for example, and you'll find similarities, Griffith said. Some of the same games are played, the same jokes told, the same songs sung. Anything that stays does so for a reason.