The definition of the word tradition

A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past.[1][2] A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like lawyers’ wigs or military officers’ spurs), but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years—the word tradition itself derives from the Latin tradere literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping. While it is commonly assumed that traditions have an ancient history, many traditions have been invented on purpose, whether that be political or cultural, over short periods of time. Various academic disciplines also use the word in a variety of ways.

The phrase «according to tradition», or «by tradition», usually means that whatever information follows is known only by oral tradition, but is not supported (and perhaps may be refuted) by physical documentation, by a physical artifact, or other quality evidence. Tradition is used to indicate the quality of a piece of information being discussed. For example, «According to tradition, Homer was born on Chios, but many other locales have historically claimed him as theirs.» This tradition may never be proven or disproven. In another example, «King Arthur, by tradition a true British king, has inspired many well loved stories.» Whether they are documented fact or not does not decrease their value as cultural history and literature.[citation needed]

Traditions are a subject of study in several academic fields, especially in social sciences such as folklore studies, anthropology, archaeology, and biology.

The concept of tradition, as the notion of holding on to a previous time, is also found in political and philosophical discourse. For example, it is the basis of the political concept of traditionalism, and also strands of many world religions including traditional Catholicism. In artistic contexts, tradition is used to decide the correct display of an art form. For example, in the performance of traditional genres (such as traditional dance), adherence to guidelines dictating how an art form should be composed are given greater importance than the performer’s own preferences. A number of factors can exacerbate the loss of tradition, including industrialization, globalization, and the assimilation or marginalization of specific cultural groups. In response to this, tradition-preservation attempts have now been started in many countries around the world, focusing on aspects such as traditional languages. Tradition is usually contrasted with the goal of modernity and should be differentiated from customs, conventions, laws, norms, routines, rules and similar concepts.

Definition[edit]

The English word tradition comes from the Latin traditio via French, the noun from the verb tradere (to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping); it was originally used in Roman law to refer to the concept of legal transfers and inheritance.[3][4] According to Anthony Giddens and others, the modern meaning of tradition evolved during the Enlightenment period, in opposition to modernity and progress.[3][5][6]

As with many other generic terms, there are many definitions of tradition.[1][2][4][7] The concept includes a number of interrelated ideas; the unifying one is that tradition refers to beliefs, objects or customs performed or believed in the past, originating in it, transmitted through time by being taught by one generation to the next, and are performed or believed in the present.[1][2]

Tradition can also refer to beliefs or customs that are Prehistoric, with lost or arcane origins, existing from time immemorial.[8] Originally, traditions were passed orally, without the need for a writing system. Tools to aid this process include poetic devices such as rhyme and alliteration. The stories thus preserved are also referred to as tradition, or as part of an oral tradition. Even such traditions, however, are presumed to have originated (been «invented» by humans) at some point.[2][3] Traditions are often presumed to be ancient, unalterable, and deeply important, though they may sometimes be much less «natural» than is presumed.[9][10] It is presumed that at least two transmissions over three generations are required for a practice, belief or object to be seen as traditional.[8] Some traditions were deliberately invented for one reason or another, often to highlight or enhance the importance of a certain institution.[11] Traditions may also be adapted to suit the needs of the day, and the changes can become accepted as a part of the ancient tradition.[9][12] Tradition changes slowly, with changes from one generation to the next being seen as significant.[13] Thus, those carrying out the traditions will not be consciously aware of the change, and even if a tradition undergoes major changes over many generations, it will be seen as unchanged.[13]

There are various origins and fields of tradition; they can refer to:

  1. the forms of artistic heritage of a particular culture.[14]
  2. beliefs or customs instituted and maintained by societies and governments, such as national anthems and national holidays, such as Federal holidays in the United States.[9][10]
  3. beliefs or customs maintained by religious denominations and Church bodies that share history, customs, culture, and, to some extent, body of teachings.[15][3] For example, one can speak of Islam’s tradition or Christianity’s tradition.

Many objects, beliefs and customs can be traditional.[2] Rituals of social interaction can be traditional, with phrases and gestures such as saying «thank you», sending birth announcements, greeting cards, etc.[2][16][17] Tradition can also refer to larger concepts practiced by groups (family traditions at Christmas[17]), organizations (company’s picnic) or societies, such as the practice of national and public holidays.[9][10] Some of the oldest traditions include monotheism (three millennia) and citizenship (two millennia).[18] It can also include material objects, such as buildings, works of art or tools.[2]

Tradition is often used as an adjective, in contexts such as traditional music, traditional medicine, traditional values and others.[1] In such constructions tradition refers to specific values and materials particular to the discussed context, passed through generations.[3]

Invention of tradition[edit]

The term «invention of tradition», introduced by E. J. Hobsbawm, refers to situations when a new practice or object is introduced in a manner that implies a connection with the past that is not necessarily present.[19] A tradition may be deliberately created and promulgated for personal, commercial, political, or national self-interest, as was done in colonial Africa; or it may be adopted rapidly based on a single highly publicized event, rather than developing and spreading organically in a population, as in the case of the white wedding dress, which only became popular after Queen Victoria wore a white gown at her wedding to Albert of Saxe-Coburg.[20]

An example of an invention of tradition is the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (location of the British Parliament) in the Gothic style.[19] Similarly, most of the traditions associated with monarchy of the United Kingdom, seen as rooted deep in history, actually date to 19th century.[12] Other examples include the invention of tradition in Africa and other colonial holdings by the occupying forces.[21] Requiring legitimacy, the colonial power would often invent a «tradition» which they could use to legitimize their own position. For example, a certain succession to a chiefdom might be recognized by a colonial power as traditional in order to favour their own candidates for the job. Often these inventions were based in some form of tradition, but were exaggerated, distorted, or biased toward a particular interpretation.

Invented traditions are a central component of modern national cultures, providing a commonality of experience and promoting the unified national identity espoused by nationalism.[22] Common examples include public holidays (particularly those unique to a particular nation), the singing of national anthems, and traditional national cuisine (see national dish). Expatriate and immigrant communities may continue to practice the national traditions of their home nation.

In scholarly discourse[edit]

In science, tradition is often used in the literature in order to define the relationship of an author’s thoughts to that of his or her field.[23] In 1948, philosopher of science Karl Popper suggested that there should be a «rational theory of tradition» applied to science which was fundamentally sociological. For Popper, each scientist who embarks on a certain research trend inherits the tradition of the scientists before them as he or she inherits their studies and any conclusions that superseded it.[23] Unlike myth, which is a means of explaining the natural world through means other than logical criticism, scientific tradition was inherited from Socrates, who proposed critical discussion, according to Popper.[24] For Thomas Kuhn, who presented his thoughts in a paper presented in 1977, a sense of such a critical inheritance of tradition is, historically, what sets apart the best scientists who change their fields is an embracement of tradition.[24]

Traditions are a subject of study in several academic fields in social sciences—chiefly anthropology, archaeology, and biology—with somewhat different meanings in different fields. It is also used in varying contexts in other fields, such as history, psychology and sociology. Social scientists and others have worked to refine the commonsense concept of tradition to make it into a useful concept for scholarly analysis. In the 1970s and 1980s, Edward Shils explored the concept in detail.[17] Since then, a wide variety of social scientists have criticized traditional ideas about tradition; meanwhile, «tradition» has come into usage in biology as applied to nonhuman animals.

Tradition as a concept variously defined in different disciplines should not be confused with various traditions (perspectives, approaches) in those disciplines.[25]

Anthropology[edit]

Tradition is one of the key concepts in anthropology; it can be said that anthropology is the study of «tradition in traditional societies».[7] There is however no «theory of tradition», as for most anthropologists the need to discuss what tradition is seems unnecessary, as defining tradition is both unnecessary (everyone can be expected to know what it is) and unimportant (as small differences in definition would be just technical).[7] There are however dissenting views; scholars such as Pascal Boyer argue that defining tradition and developing theories about it are important to the discipline.[7]

Archaeology[edit]

In archaeology, the term tradition is a set of cultures or industries which appear to develop on from one another over a period of time. The term is especially common in the study of American archaeology.[17]

Biology[edit]

Biologists, when examining groups of non-humans, have observed repeated behaviors which are taught within communities from one generation to the next. Tradition is defined in biology as «a behavioral practice that is relatively enduring (i.e., is performed repeatedly over a period of time), that is shared among two or more members of a group, that depends in part on socially aided learning for its generation in new practitioners», and has been called a precursor to «culture» in the anthropological sense.[26]

Behavioral traditions have been observed in groups of fish, birds, and mammals. Groups of orangutans and chimpanzees, in particular, may display large numbers of behavioral traditions, and in chimpanzees, transfer of traditional behavior from one group to another (not just within a group) has been observed. Such behavioral traditions may have evolutionary significance, allowing adaptation at a faster rate than genetic change.[27]

Musicology and ethnomusicology[edit]

A traditional setting of the last passage of the first tractate, Berakhot of the Oral Torah, which describes how scholars of the Talmud create peace in the world. Performed by Cantor Meyer Kanewsky in 1919 for Edison Records.

In the field of musicology and ethnomusicology tradition refers to the belief systems, repertoire, techniques, style and culture that is passed down through subsequent generations. Tradition in music suggests a historical context with which one can perceive distinguishable patterns. Along with a sense of history, traditions have a fluidity that cause them to evolve and adapt over time.
While both musicology and ethnomusicology are defined by being ‘the scholarly study of music’[28] they differ in their methodology and subject of research. ‘Tradition, or traditions, can be presented as a context in which to study the work of a specific composer or as a part of a wide-ranging historical perspective.’[29]

Sociology[edit]

The concept of tradition, in early sociological research (around the turn of the 19th and 20th century), referred to that of the traditional society, as contrasted by the more modern industrial society.[12] This approach was most notably portrayed in Max Weber’s concepts of traditional authority and modern rational-legal authority.[12] In more modern works, One hundred years later, sociology sees tradition as a social construct used to contrast past with the present and as a form of rationality used to justify certain course of action.[12]

Traditional society is characterized by lack of distinction between family and business, division of labor influenced primarily by age, gender, and status, high position of custom in the system of values, self-sufficiency, preference to saving and accumulation of capital instead of productive investment, relative autarky.[12] Early theories positing the simple, unilineal evolution of societies from traditional to industrial model are now seen as too simplistic.[12]

In 1981, Edward Shils in his book Tradition put forward a definition of tradition that became universally accepted.[12] According to Shils, tradition is anything which is transmitted or handed down from the past to the present.[12]

Another important sociological aspect of tradition is the one that relates to rationality. It is also related to the works of Max Weber (see theories of rationality), and were popularized and redefined in 1992 by Raymond Boudon in his book Action.[12] In this context tradition refers to the mode of thinking and action justified as «it has always been that way».[12] This line of reasoning forms the basis of the logical flaw of the appeal to tradition (or argumentum ad antiquitatem),[30] which takes the form «this is right because we’ve always done it this way.»[31] In most cases such an appeal can be refuted on the grounds that the «tradition» being advocated may no longer be desirable, or, indeed, may never have been despite its previous popularity.

Philosophy[edit]

The idea of tradition is important in philosophy. Twentieth century philosophy is often divided between an ‘analytic’ tradition, dominant in Anglophone and Scandinavian countries, and a ‘continental’ tradition, dominant in German and Romance speaking Europe. Increasingly central to continental philosophy is the project of deconstructing what its proponents, following Martin Heidegger, call ‘the tradition’, which began with Plato and Aristotle. In contrast, some continental philosophers — most notably, Hans-Georg Gadamer — have attempted to rehabilitate the tradition of Aristotelianism. This move has been replicated within analytic philosophy by Alasdair MacIntyre. However, MacIntyre has himself deconstructed the idea of ‘the tradition’, instead posing Aristotelianism as one philosophical tradition in rivalry with others.

In political and religious discourse[edit]

The concepts of tradition and traditional values are frequently used in political and religious discourse to establish the legitimacy of a particular set of values. In the United States in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the concept of tradition has been used to argue for the centrality and legitimacy of conservative religious values.[32] Similarly, strands of orthodox theological thought from a number of world religions openly identify themselves as wanting a return to tradition. For example, the term «traditionalist Catholic» refers to those, such as Archbishop Lefebvre, who want the worship and practices of the Church to be as they were before the Second Vatican Council of 1962–65.[33] Likewise, Sunni Muslims are referred to as Ahl el-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā‘ah (Arabic: أهل السنة والجماعة), literally «people of the tradition [of Muhammad] and the community», emphasizing their attachment to religious and cultural tradition.

More generally, tradition has been used as a way of determining the political spectrum, with right-wing parties having a stronger affinity to certain ways of the past than left-wing ones.[34] Here, the concept of adherence tradition is embodied by the political philosophy of traditionalist conservatism (or simply traditionalism), which emphasizes the need for the principles of natural law and transcendent moral order, hierarchy and organic unity, agrarianism, classicism and high culture, and the intersecting spheres of loyalty.[35] Traditionalists would therefore reject the notions of individualism, liberalism, modernity, and social progress, but promote cultural and educational renewal,[36] and revive interest in the Church, the family, the State and local community. This view has been criticised for including in its notion of tradition practices which are no longer considered to be desirable, for example, stereotypical views of the place of women in domestic affairs.[37]

In other societies, especially ones experiencing rapid social change, the idea of what is «traditional» may be widely contested, with different groups striving to establish their own values as the legitimate traditional ones. Defining and enacting traditions in some cases can be the means of building unity between subgroups in a diverse society; in other cases, tradition is a means of othering and keeping groups distinct from one another.[32]

In artistic discourse[edit]

Holiday celebrations may be passed down as traditions, as is the case with this distinctly Polish Christmas meal, decor with Christmas tree, a tradition since the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In artistic contexts, in the performance of traditional genres (such as traditional dance), adherence to traditional guidelines is of greater importance than performer’s preferences.[1] It is often the unchanging form of certain arts that leads to their perception as traditional.[1] For artistic endeavors, tradition has been used as a contrast to creativity, with traditional and folk art associated with unoriginal imitation or repetition, in contrast to fine art, which is valued for being original and unique. More recent philosophy of art, however, considers interaction with tradition as integral to the development of new artistic expression.[32]

Relationship to other concepts[edit]

In the social sciences, tradition is often contrasted with modernity, particularly in terms of whole societies. This dichotomy is generally associated with a linear model of social change, in which societies progress from being traditional to being modern.[38] Tradition-oriented societies have been characterized as valuing filial piety, harmony and group welfare, stability, and interdependence, while a society exhibiting modernity would value «individualism (with free will and choice), mobility, and progress.»[32] Another author discussing tradition in relationship to modernity, Anthony Giddens, sees tradition as something bound to ritual, where ritual guarantees the continuation of tradition.[39] Gusfield and others, though, criticize this dichotomy as oversimplified, arguing that tradition is dynamic, heterogeneous, and coexists successfully with modernity even within individuals.[38]

Tradition should be differentiated from customs, conventions, laws, norms, routines, rules and similar concepts. Whereas tradition is supposed to be invariable, they are seen as more flexible and subject to innovation and change.[1][9] Whereas justification for tradition is ideological, the justification for other similar concepts is more practical or technical.[10] Over time, customs, routines, conventions, rules and such can evolve into traditions, but that usually requires that they stop having (primarily) a practical purpose.[10] For example, wigs worn by lawyers were at first common and fashionable; spurs worn by military officials were at first practical but now are both impractical and traditional.[10]

Preservation[edit]

A woman welcoming the Shabbat, a tradition dating back over 3,300 years

The legal protection of tradition includes a number of international agreements and national laws. In addition to the fundamental protection of cultural property, there is also cooperation between the United Nations, UNESCO and Blue Shield International in the protection or recording of traditions and customs. The protection of culture and traditions is becoming increasingly important nationally and internationally.[40][41][42][43][44]

In many countries, concerted attempts are being made to preserve traditions that are at risk of being lost. A number of factors can exacerbate the loss of tradition, including industrialization, globalization, and the assimilation or marginalization of specific cultural groups.[45] Customary celebrations and lifestyles are among the traditions that are sought to be preserved.[46] Likewise, the concept of tradition has been used to defend the preservation and reintroduction of minority languages such as Cornish under the auspices of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.[47] Specifically, the charter holds that these languages «contribute to the maintenance and development of Europe’s cultural wealth and traditions». The Charter goes on to call for «the use or adoption… of traditional and correct forms of place-names in regional or minority languages».[48] Similarly, UNESCO includes both «oral tradition» and «traditional manifestations» in its definition of a country’s cultural properties and heritage. So therefore it works to preserve tradition in countries such as Brazil.[49]

In Japan, certain artworks, structures, craft techniques and performing arts are considered by the Japanese government to be a precious legacy of the Japanese people, and are protected under the Japanese Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.[50] This law also identifies people skilled at traditional arts as «National Living Treasures», and encourages the preservation of their craft.[51]

For native peoples like the Māori in New Zealand, there is conflict between the fluid identity assumed as part of modern society and the traditional identity with the obligations that accompany it; the loss of language heightens the feeling of isolation and damages the ability to perpetuate tradition.[45]

Traditional cultural expressions[edit]

The phrase «traditional cultural expressions» is used by the World Intellectual Property Organization to refer to «any form of artistic and literary expression in which traditional culture and knowledge are embodied. They are transmitted from one generation to the next, and include handmade textiles, paintings, stories, legends, ceremonies, music, songs, rhythms and dance.»[52]

See also[edit]

  • Folklore
  • Origin myth
  • Perennial philosophy
  • Sacred tradition
  • Traditionalism

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Thomas A. Green (1997). Folklore: an encyclopedia of beliefs, customs, tales, music, and art. ABC-CLIO. p. 800. ISBN 978-0-87436-986-1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Shils 12
  3. ^ a b c d e Anthony Giddens (2003). Runaway world: how globalization is reshaping our lives. Taylor & Francis. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-415-94487-8.
  4. ^ a b Yves Congar (October 2004). The meaning of tradition. Ignatius Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-58617-021-9.
  5. ^ Shils 3–6
  6. ^ Shils 18
  7. ^ a b c d Pascal Boyer (1990). Tradition as truth and communication: a cognitive description of traditional discourse. Cambridge University Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-521-37417-0.
  8. ^ a b Shils 15
  9. ^ a b c d e Hobsbawm 2–3
  10. ^ a b c d e f Hobsbawm 3–4
  11. ^ Hobsbawm 1
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Langlois, S. (2001). «Traditions: Social». International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. pp. 15829–15833. doi:10.1016/B0-08-043076-7/02028-3. ISBN 9780080430768.
  13. ^ a b Shils 14
  14. ^ Lilburn, Douglas (1984). A Search for Tradition. Wellington: Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust, assisted by the New Zealand Composers Foundation. ISBN 0-908702-00-0.[page needed]
  15. ^ Michael A. Williams; Collett Cox; Martin S. Jaffee (1992). Innovation in religious traditions: essays in the interpretation of religious change. Walter de Gruyter. p. 1. ISBN 978-3-11-012780-5.
  16. ^ Pascal Boyer (1990). Tradition as truth and communication: a cognitive description of traditional discourse. Cambridge University Press. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-521-37417-0.
  17. ^ a b c d Handler, Richard; Jocelyn Innekin (1984). «Tradition, Genuine or Spurious». Journal of American Folklore. 29.
  18. ^ Shils 16
  19. ^ a b Hobsbawm 1–2
  20. ^ Ingraham, Chrys (2008). White Weddings: Romancing Heterosexuality in Popular Culture. New York: Taylor & Francis, Inc. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-0-415-95194-4.
  21. ^ Terence Ranger, The Invention of Tradition in Colonial Africa, in E. J. (Eric J.) Hobsbawm; T. O. (Terence O.) Ranger (31 July 1992). The Invention of tradition. Cambridge University Press. pp. 211–263. ISBN 978-0-521-43773-8.
  22. ^ Hobsbawm 7
  23. ^ a b Kurz-Milke and Martignon 129
  24. ^ a b Kurz-Milke and Martignon 129–130
  25. ^ Sujata Patel (October 2009). The ISA Handbook of Diverse Sociological Traditions. SAGE Publications. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-84787-402-3.
  26. ^ Fragaszy and Perry 2, 12
  27. ^ Whiten, Andrew; Antoine Spiteri; Victoria Horner; Kristin E. Bonnie; Susan P. Lambeth; Steven J. Schapiro; Frans B.M. de Waal (2007). «Transmission of Multiple Traditions within and between Chimpanzee Groups». Current Biology. 17 (12): 1038–1043. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2007.05.031. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 17555968. S2CID 1236151.
  28. ^ Duckles, Vincent. «Musicology». Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  29. ^ Kenneth Gloag, David Beard (2005). Musicology The Key Concepts. Routledge.
  30. ^ Texas University. «Is-Ought fallacy». Fallacies Definitions. Texas State University Department of Philosophy. Archived from the original on 26 August 2006. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
  31. ^ Trufant, William (1917). Argumentation and Debating. Houghton Mifflin company. Digitized 9 May 2007.
  32. ^ a b c d Bronner, Simon J. «Tradition» in International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr.. Vol. 8. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. p420-422.
  33. ^ Marty, Martin E.; R. Scott Appleby (1994). Fundamentalisms observed. University of Chicago Press. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-226-50878-8.
  34. ^ Farrell, Henry John; Lawrence, Eric; Sides, John (2008). «Self-Segregation or Deliberation? Blog Readership, Participation and Polarization in American Politics». SSRN Working Paper Series. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1151490. ISSN 1556-5068.
  35. ^ Frohnen, Bruce, Jeremy Beer, and Jeffrey O. Nelson, ed. (2006) American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, pp. 870–875.
  36. ^ Frohnen, Bruce, Jeremy Beer, and Jeffrey O. Nelson, ed. (2006) American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, p. 870.
  37. ^ M. Dwayne Smith; George D. Self (1981). «Feminists and traditionalists: An attitudinal comparison». Sex Roles. 7 (2): 183–188. doi:10.1007/BF00287804. S2CID 143401247.
  38. ^ a b Gusfield, Joseph R. (1 January 1967). «Tradition and Modernity: Misplaced Polarities in the Study of Social Change». The American Journal of Sociology. 72 (4): 351–362. doi:10.1086/224334. ISSN 0002-9602. JSTOR 2775860. PMID 6071952. S2CID 8013111.
  39. ^ Giddens, «Living in a Post-Traditional Society» 64
  40. ^ «UNESCO Legal Instruments: Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict 1999». Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  41. ^ Roger O’Keefe, Camille Péron, Tofig Musayev, Gianluca Ferrari «Protection of Cultural Property. Military Manual.» UNESCO, 2016.
  42. ^ Gerold Keusch «Kulturschutz in der Ära der Identitätskriege» (German) in Truppendienst — Magazin des Österreichischen Bundesheeres, 24 October 2018.
  43. ^ Vgl. auch «Karl von Habsburg on a mission in Lebanon» (in German). Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  44. ^ Vgl. z. B. Corine Wegener, Marjan Otter: Cultural Property at War: Protecting Heritage during Armed Conflict. In: The Getty Conservation Institute, Newsletter 23.1, Spring 2008; Eden Stiffman: Cultural Preservation in Disasters, War Zones. Presents Big Challenges. In: The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 11 May 2015.
  45. ^ a b McIntosh, Tracey (2005). «Maori Identities: Fixed, Fluid, Forced». In James H. Liu (ed.). New Zealand identities: departures and destinations. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria University Press. p. 40. ISBN 0-86473-517-0.
  46. ^ «Bahrain seeks to preserve ancient pearling traditions». CNN. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  47. ^ Richard Savill (12 November 2009). «Cornish street signs to be translated». The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  48. ^ «European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages». Council of Europe. 5 November 1992. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  49. ^ «World Heritage in Brazil». UNESCO. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  50. ^ «Cultural Properties for Future Generations» (PDF). Administration of Cultural Affairs in Japan ― Fiscal 2009. Agency for Cultural Affairs. June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009.
  51. ^ «Treasures of Japan – Its Living Artists». San Francisco Chronicle. 30 May 1999. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  52. ^ Zuckermann, Ghil’ad; et al. (2015), ENGAGING — A Guide to Interacting Respectfully and Reciprocally with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, and their Arts Practices and Intellectual Property (PDF), Australian Government: Indigenous Culture Support, p. 7, archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2016

Works cited[edit]

  • Fragaszy, Dorothy Munkenbeck; Perry, Susan (2003). Towards a biology of traditions. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-81597-0.
  • Giddens, Anthony (1994). «Living in a Post-Traditional Society». Reflexive modernization: politics, tradition and aesthetics in the modern social order. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-2472-2.
  • Hobsbawm, E. J., Introduction: Inventing Traditions, in E. J. (Eric J.) Hobsbawm; T. O. (Terence O.) Ranger (31 July 1992). The Invention of tradition. Cambridge University Pressv. ISBN 978-0-521-43773-8.
  • Kurz-Milcke, Elke; Maritgnon, Laura (2002). «Modeling Practices and «Tradition»«. Model-based reasoning: science, technology, values. Springer. pp. 127–144. ISBN 978-0-306-47244-2.
  • Shils, Edward (1 August 2006). Tradition. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-75326-3.

Further reading[edit]

  • Sowell, T (1980) Knowledge and Decisions Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-03738-0
  • Polanyi, M (1964) Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy ISBN 0-226-67288-3
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav (1984). The Vindication of Tradition. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-03638-8 pbk.
  • Klein, Ernest, Dr., A comprehensive etymological dictionary of the English language: Dealing with the origin of words and their sense development thus illustrating the history and civilization of culture, Elsevier, Oxford, 7th ed., 2000.

External links[edit]

  • Media related to Traditions at Wikimedia Commons
  • https://hindi.webdunia.com/my-blog/parampara-nagar-chorasi-118100600052_1.html

Wikiquote has quotations related to Tradition.

1

a

: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)

b

: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable

… the bulk of traditions attributed to the Prophet …J. L. Esposito

2

: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction

3

: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions

4

: characteristic manner, method, or style

in the best liberal tradition

Synonyms

Example Sentences



One of our town’s time-honored traditions is to have an Easter egg hunt the week before Easter.



It is their tradition to give thanks before they start eating.



There’s an office tradition of wearing casual clothes on Fridays.



They no longer follow the traditions of their ancestors.



We broke with tradition and had goose for Thanksgiving instead of turkey.



By tradition, the celebration begins at midnight.



They no longer follow tradition.



According to tradition, the goddess lies sleeping beneath the mountain.

See More

Recent Examples on the Web

These days, granddaughter Donetta Bethune helps her father, Larry Bethune, carry on the family tradition at Brenda’s.


Bob Carlton | Bcarlton@al.com, al, 12 Apr. 2023





Replenish all that expended energy by sinking your teeth into the rich culinary traditions of São Miguel.


Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2023





King Charles’ coronation guest list includes foreign monarchs, breaking usual tradition.


Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2023





When these Malagasy traditions collided with pirate egalitarianism, shared through conversation and commercial exchange, the confederation was born.


Ian Beacock, The New Republic, 11 Apr. 2023





But top corporate legal officers — the customers — are typically former partners and associates in big law firms, steeped in the same traditions.


Steve Lohr, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023





Bakewell is interested in describing the nontheistic tradition that urges us to be happy in the here and now, rather than waiting for an afterlife, and to seek that happiness through good works and kindness to others.


Mark Oppenheimer, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023





Following tradition, Charles will be crowned with St. Edward’s crown.


Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2023





Amid many pressing political duties, the Biden administration will make time today for an annual tradition dating to the 1870s: the White House Easter Egg Roll.


Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023



See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘tradition.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tradicioun, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French tradicion, from Latin tradition-, traditio action of handing over, tradition — more at treason

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of tradition was
in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tradition

Cite this Entry

“Tradition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tradition. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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Last Updated:
13 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

tra·di·tion

 (trə-dĭsh′ən)

n.

1. The passing down of elements of a culture from generation to generation, especially by oral communication: cultural practices that are preserved by tradition.

2.

a. A mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation; a custom or usage: the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

b. A set of such customs and usages viewed as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present: followed family tradition in dress and manners. See Synonyms at heritage.

3. A precept or a body of precepts that are not written in the sacred book of a religion, such as the Bible, but are considered holy or true.

4. A style or method of an activity or practice, especially of artistic expression, that is recognized and sometimes imitated: satire in the tradition of Jonathan Swift.

5. A piece of folklore: «a popular medieval tradition that identified the queen of Sheba with the Blessed Virgin Mary» (Nicholas Clapp).


[Middle English tradicioun, from Old French, from Latin trāditiō, trāditiōn-, from trāditus, past participle of trādere, to hand over, deliver, entrust : trā-, trāns-, trans- + dare, to give; see dō- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tradition

(trəˈdɪʃən)

n

1. the handing down from generation to generation of the same customs, beliefs, etc, esp by word of mouth

2. the body of customs, thought, practices, etc, belonging to a particular country, people, family, or institution over a relatively long period

3. a specific custom or practice of long standing

4. (Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity a doctrine or body of doctrines regarded as having been established by Christ or the apostles though not contained in Scripture

5. (Judaism) (often capital) Judaism a body of laws regarded as having been handed down from Moses orally and only committed to writing in the 2nd century ad

6. (Islam) the beliefs and customs of Islam supplementing the Koran, esp as embodied in the Sunna

7. (Law) law chiefly Roman law Scots law the act of formally transferring ownership of movable property; delivery

[C14: from Latin trāditiō a handing down, surrender, from trādere to give up, transmit, from trans- + dāre to give]

traˈditionless adj

traˈditionist n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tra•di•tion

(trəˈdɪʃ ən)

n.

1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice.

2. something that is so handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.

3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: a break with tradition.

4.

a. (among Jews) a body of laws and doctrines, or any one of them, held to have been received from Moses and orig. handed down orally from generation to generation.

b. (among Christians) a body of teachings, or any one of them, held to have been delivered by Christ and His apostles but not orig. committed to writing.

[1350–1400; Middle English tradicion < Old French < Latin trāditiō handing over, transfer <trādi, variant s. of trādere to give over (trā-, variant of trāns- trans- + -dere, comb. form of dare to give)]

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. tradition - an inherited pattern of thought or actiontradition — an inherited pattern of thought or action
2. tradition - a specific practice of long standingtradition — a specific practice of long standing

practice — knowledge of how something is usually done; «it is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner»

habit, wont — an established custom; «it was their habit to dine at 7 every evening»

Hadith — (Islam) a tradition based on reports of the sayings and activities of Muhammad and his companions

institution — a custom that for a long time has been an important feature of some group or society; «the institution of marriage»; «the institution of slavery»; «he had become an institution in the theater»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

tradition

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

tradition

noun

1. Something immaterial, as a style or philosophy, that is passed from one generation to another:

2. A body of traditional beliefs and notions accumulated about a particular subject:

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

tradice

traditionoverlevering

perinne

tradicija

régi szokás

erfîavenja, arfsögnhefî, erfîavenja

伝統

전통

tradicijatradiciškai

tradīcija

tradicija

tradition

ประเพณี

gelenekinanç v.bgeçmişten bugüne aktarılan âdet

truyền thống

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

tradition

(trəˈdiʃən) noun

1. (the process of passing on from generation to generation) customs, beliefs, stories etc. These songs have been preserved by tradition.

2. a custom, belief, story etc that is passed on.

traˈditional adjectivetraˈditionally adverb

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

tradition

تَقْلِيد tradice tradition Tradition παράδοση tradición perinne tradition tradicija tradizione 伝統 전통 traditie tradisjon tradycja tradição традиция tradition ประเพณี gelenek truyền thống 传统

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

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One tradition I have with my friends is that when one of us gets married, we have a ton of fragrance oils and pretty bottles at the bachelorette party. Everyone puts a drop or two in a bottle for the bride and makes a wish, and the bride wears our creation on her wedding day.

Jennifer Aniston

section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD TRADITION

From Latin trāditiō a handing down, surrender, from trādere to give up, transmit, from trans- + dāre to give.

info

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

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PRONUNCIATION OF TRADITION

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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF TRADITION

Tradition is a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES TRADITION MEAN IN ENGLISH?

tradition

Tradition

A tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes, but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years—the word «tradition» itself derives from the Latin tradere or traderer literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping. While it is commonly assumed that traditions have ancient history, many traditions have been invented on purpose, whether that be political or cultural, over short periods of time. Certain scholarly fields, such as anthropology and biology, have adapted the term «tradition,» defining it more precisely than its conventional use in order to facilitate scholarly discourse. The concept of tradition, as the notion of holding on to a previous time, is also found in political and philosophical discourse. For example, the political concept of traditionalism is based around it, as are strands of many world religions including traditional Catholicism.


Definition of tradition in the English dictionary

The first definition of tradition in the dictionary is the handing down from generation to generation of the same customs, beliefs, etc, esp by word of mouth. Other definition of tradition is the body of customs, thought, practices, etc, belonging to a particular country, people, family, or institution over a relatively long period. Tradition is also a specific custom or practice of long standing.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH TRADITION

Synonyms and antonyms of tradition in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS OF «TRADITION»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «tradition» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «tradition» into 25 languages

online translator

TRANSLATION OF TRADITION

Find out the translation of tradition to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of tradition from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «tradition» in English.

Translator English — Chinese


传统

1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English — Spanish


tradición

570 millions of speakers

Translator English — Hindi


परंपरा

380 millions of speakers

Translator English — Arabic


تَقْلِيد

280 millions of speakers

Translator English — Russian


традиция

278 millions of speakers

Translator English — Portuguese


tradição

270 millions of speakers

Translator English — Bengali


ঐতিহ্য

260 millions of speakers

Translator English — French


tradition

220 millions of speakers

Translator English — Malay


Tradisi

190 millions of speakers

Translator English — German


Tradition

180 millions of speakers

Translator English — Japanese


伝統

130 millions of speakers

Translator English — Korean


전통

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Javanese


Tradisi

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Vietnamese


truyền thống

80 millions of speakers

Translator English — Tamil


பாரம்பரியம்

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Marathi


परंपरा

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Turkish


gelenek

70 millions of speakers

Translator English — Italian


tradizione

65 millions of speakers

Translator English — Polish


tradycja

50 millions of speakers

Translator English — Ukrainian


традиція

40 millions of speakers

Translator English — Romanian


tradiție

30 millions of speakers

Translator English — Greek


παράδοση

15 millions of speakers

Translator English — Afrikaans


tradisie

14 millions of speakers

Translator English — Swedish


tradition

10 millions of speakers

Translator English — Norwegian


tradisjon

5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of tradition

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «TRADITION»

The term «tradition» is very widely used and occupies the 5.589 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Trends

FREQUENCY

Very widely used

The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «tradition» in the different countries.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of tradition

List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «tradition».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «TRADITION» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «tradition» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «tradition» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about tradition

10 QUOTES WITH «TRADITION»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word tradition.

The epic poet has behind him a tradition of matter and a tradition of style; and that is what every other poet has behind him too; only, for the epic poet, tradition is rather narrower, rather more strictly compelling.

One tradition I have with my friends is that when one of us gets married, we have a ton of fragrance oils and pretty bottles at the bachelorette party. Everyone puts a drop or two in a bottle for the bride and makes a wish, and the bride wears our creation on her wedding day.

For 180 years, we voted in English. That is the true American tradition, and this amendment is true to our heritage, not what has existed unnaturally for the last 20 years.

‘Jackass: The Movie’ is great. I think it’s in the tradition of physical comedy, which I’m really interested in. Its relationship to gravity, and how gravity acts on the body.

Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.

What is supposed to be the very essence of Judaism — which is the notion that it is by study that you make yourself a holy people — is nowhere present in Hebrew tradition before the end of the first or the beginning of the second century of the Common Era.

It’s kind of a tradition that you get a rookie, put him in the middle, wrap your arms and legs around him, then douse him with everything you can get a hold of — shaving cream, ketchup, mustard, everything. It’s kind of like a pie in the face after a guy is successful.

I come from a school of people, folk singers, and the tradition there is troubadours, and you’re carrying a message. Now admittedly, our job is partly just to make you boogie, just make you want to dance. Part of our job is to take you on a little voyage, tell you a story.

There is an honourable tradition in British public life that those charged with authority at the top of an organisation should accept responsibility for what happens in that organisation. I am therefore writing to the prime minister today to tender my resignation as chairman of the BBC.

I’m just part of a tradition of people who aren’t pleased. I would never think anyone else who has the same attitude was getting it from me. I’d just think they’re… sensible.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «TRADITION»

Discover the use of tradition in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to tradition and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Tradition, by esteemed sociologist Edward Shils, was the first book to fully explore the history, significance, and future of tradition as a whole.

2

The Classical Tradition

Collects alphabetically arranged essays on how classical tradition has shaped popular culture, government, mathematics, medicine, and drama.

Anthony Grafton, Glenn W Most, Salvatore Settis, 2010

3

Oral Tradition as History

Since the publication of Vansina’s earlier book, oral traditions have now become widely accepted as a legitimate source of history.

4

The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of …

Explores the iconography, dogma, and liturgy of Greek, Slavic, and Syriac forms of Christianity.

5

From Tradition to Gospel

One of the most influential scholarly works on the New Testament, showing how the Gospels and views about them developed in the Apostolic period.

6

Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu …

In many ways, this book is as much a study of the Hindu tradition itself as it is a study of one aspect of that tradition.

7

Sources of Chinese Tradition: Volume 1: From Earliest Times …

A collection of primary readings on the social, intellectual, and religious traditions of China, this text provides a resource for scholars and students and an introduction for general readers.

William Theodore De Bary, 2013

8

The Tradition of Natural Law: A Philosopher’s Reflections

The tradition of natural law is one of the foundations of Western civilization.

Yves René Marie Simon, Vukan Kuic, 1965

9

Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition: English Sea Rovers in the …

This book represents a sample of the most penetrating and provocative scholarly interpretations of Jewish messianic movement from various perspectives- historical, sociological, psychological, and religious.

10

Questions of Tradition

Tradition is a central concern for a wide range of academic disciplines interested in problems of transmitting culture across generations. Yet, the concept itself has received remarkably little analysis.

Mark Phillips, Gordon J. Schochet, 2004

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «TRADITION»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term tradition is used in the context of the following news items.

UK Police Drop Investigation Into Tradition Financial Services

LONDON—The police here have dropped a yearslong fraud and corruption investigation involving a major brokerage company after the firm, Tradition Financial … «Wall Street Journal, Jul 15»

African American church tradition a bastion of faith and freedom

For those who see Christianity itself as a faith that encourages quiescence and conservatism, the tradition of the black church is a sign of contradiction. Over the … «SFGate, Jul 15»

PETA sues to challenge new law that allows opossum tradition

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is challenging a new law designed to preserve a western North Carolina New Year’s Eve … «WNCT, Jun 15»

Family tradition: 70-year-old graduation pants

PLANO, Texas — Tucked away in the closet of a Plano home is a pair of pants that only come out for very special occasions. Four generations of men in the … «USA TODAY, Jun 15»

NBC’s Mark Lazarus asked NHL to BAN Stanley Cup playoff beards …

The boss of NBC Sports lobbied the NHL to ban the longstanding tradition of players growing their beards for the Stanley Cup — so that the hockey stars would … «Daily Mail, Jun 15»

Indonesian president breaks tradition in picking new military chief

JAKARTA Indonesian President Joko Widodo has picked the army chief of staff to lead the military, a presidential palace spokesman said on Wednesday, … «Reuters, Jun 15»

North Carolina preserves New Years Eve opossum tradition

The exemption is meant to thwart legal challenges brought by animal welfare advocates who say Brasstown’s New Year’s Eve tradition is cruel. For decades, the … «Reuters, May 15»

Spain’s Princess Leonor breaks tradition with 1st communion

MADRID (AP) — Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, has celebrated her first communion in a low-key ceremony that broke with tradition. «Yahoo News, May 15»

Jeff Maggert wins 2015 Regions Tradition in sudden death playoff

Regions Tradition winner Jeff Maggert hoists the trophy after a one hole playoff. The final round go the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek in Birmingham … «AL.com, May 15»

Regions Tradition 2015: What golfers love about Birmingham and …

Tom Lehman hits from a sand trap around the 6th green in the final round of the 2013 Regions Tradition Champions Tour golf tournament at Shoal Creek … «AL.com, May 15»

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Tradition [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/tradition>. Apr 2023 ».

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Asked by: Gloria Auer

Score: 4.4/5
(75 votes)

A tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past.

What is the short definition of tradition?

1 : the handing down of information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another. 2 : a belief or custom handed down from one generation to another. tradition.

What are examples of traditions?

The definition of a tradition is a custom or belief that is passed down through the generations or that is done time after time or year after year. An example of a tradition is eating turkey on Thanksgiving or putting up a tree on Christmas.

What is the meaning of tradition and culture?

The main difference between culture and tradition is that traditions describe a group’s beliefs and behaviors that are passed down from one generation to another. Culture describes the shared characteristics of the entire group, which has been amassed throughout its history.

What is a tradition for kids?

Traditions can be any combination of stories, beliefs, rituals and customs that your family maintains and passes on from one year to the next (and one generation to another). Children and family psychologists agree that these traditions and rituals are an important part of childhood development.

32 related questions found

Why traditions are so important?

Traditions are important in our lives and provide many benefits. We intentionally create and continue traditions because they provide a sense of belonging and meaning to our lives. Family rituals nurture connection and give us comfort. … Traditions also provide a constant for us in an ever-changing and fast-paced life.

How do you explain tradition to a child?

definition 1: the handing down of a culture’s beliefs and customs from parents to children over many years.

What is tradition in the Bible?

Tradition is rather understood as the fullness of divine truth proclaimed in the scriptures, preserved by the apostolic bishops and expressed in the life of the Church through such things as the Divine Liturgy and the Holy Mysteries (Eucharist, baptism, marriage, etc.), the Creed and other doctrinal definitions of the …

What makes a tradition a tradition?

A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past.

What is the meaning of traditional beliefs?

adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun] Traditional customs, beliefs, or methods are ones that have existed for a long time without changing.

What are some bad traditions?

Harmful traditional practices

  • Early child marriage. Child marriage is an issue that is pervasive still across many countries due to economic, social and cultural norms. …
  • Female genital mutilation. …
  • Corporal punishment. …
  • Scarification.

What family traditions do you have?

Fun Family Traditions: Family Tradition Examples

  • Family Tradition Restaurant. Many families have incorporated a favorite restaurant into their family traditions. …
  • Family Tradition Quotes and Sayings. …
  • Favorite Vacation Spot. …
  • Sports Game Ritual. …
  • Family Heirlooms. …
  • Family Recipes. …
  • Family Meal Time. …
  • Family Superstitions.

What are common family traditions?

32 Small Traditions to Start With Your Family

  • Tell A Story Every Night. …
  • Have a Winter Novel. …
  • Give Your Kids Duct Tape On Their 13th Birthday. …
  • Celebrate Santa Coming to Town. …
  • Give Your Kids Spare Change. …
  • Visit a Christmas Tree. …
  • Leave A Birthday Voicemail. …
  • Santa Inspection.

Why do traditions change?

Sometimes traditions change because they are difficult to maintain in a new country or as the new society changes. Recipes are adapted because some ingredients are not available. … Some people do not feel that their ethnic roots have importance in their lives so they don’t continue ethnic traditions.

Is Christmas a tradition?

For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion.

What is tradition according to Eliot?

For Eliot, the term «tradition» is imbued with a special and complex character. It represents a «simultaneous order,» by which Eliot means a historical timelessness – a fusion of past and present – and, at the same time, a sense of present temporality.

Why is it important to preserve traditions?

The importance of preserving heritage, tradition and race

Culture and its heritage reflect and shape values, beliefs, and aspirations, thereby defining a people’s national identity. It is important to preserve our cultural heritage, because it keeps our integrity as a people.

What are good traditions?

15 Creative Ideas for New Traditions to Start With Your Family

  • Start a happiness jar. …
  • Have the same meal on the same day every week. …
  • Host a family talent show. …
  • Have show and tell night. …
  • Take a daily or weekly family walk. …
  • Read bedtime stories. …
  • Plan a monthly Mommy/Daddy date with each child. …
  • Choose a community service project.

What is a traditional person?

adjective. A traditional organization or person prefers older methods and ideas to modern ones.

What is the difference between the Bible and tradition?

The Bible is the uniquely inspired part of Sacred Tradition. Sacred Tradition is the Bible as received, meditated on, contemplated, read and put into effect in the life of the Church. Tradition reveals in the sense that it amplifies or clarifies or actualizes the text of the Bible.

Are traditions sinful?

they considered tradition more important than the move of the Holy Spirit and it often led to lack of love, compassion, and God doing a new thing. When this happens, it is a sin.

Is baptism a tradition?

Baptism is a Christian tradition and ritual that is performed on infants, which is also sometimes called Christening. It is a rite of admission into the Christian Church through the use of water, just as Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan.

How do you teach children traditions?

There are many ways that parents can teach their children about their own cultures while exploring others.

  1. Teach the language. Teaching children to be bilingual or multilingual has many advantages. …
  2. Celebrate holidays and traditions. …
  3. Mix it up in the kitchen. …
  4. Share stories of family history. …
  5. Explore new cultures.

What are Indian traditions?

India is considered the birthplace of some of the world’s major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. Today, other religions such as Muslim and Christianity have worked their way into the population as well, though Hinduism remains the most popular. Food.

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