Gradus

This paper investigates the relationship between men and women in folksong texts. But it does neither deal with a repertoire that reflects the views of men over women, nor with a depiction of women in folk songs. Nevertheless, it begins with the latter aspect in mentioning from a folkloric viewpoint a relationship in using embellished and trivialized metaphors. These types of folksongs are by no means characteristic for a repertoire, similar over language barriers. Most folk songs address in a more or less neutral way the cohabitation between man and women. The inversion of gender roles is broadly represented. The description of folk songs about gender concepts concludes the article.

Keywords: Folk song research, Ethnology, Gender studies, European cultural diversity,