In the article “ Legends on the net”, Jan Fernback examines a unique type of folklore – urban legends and their transformation into cyberspace. The author used two main arguments to support her contention. First, many characteristics of contemporary urban legends are inherited from oral folklore that existed long time ago before technology appeared. Second argument is as mediated urban legends gradually proliferate, cyberspace plays an important role for primary oral culture to survive and represents actual meaning of orality and literacy. According to the article, Professor Jan Brunvard had first coined the term “urban legends” since 1968. Urban legends are a unique type of folklore – traditional beliefs, stories and customs of community that had been passed through the generations by words of mouth. Familiar cultural mores, values and beliefs are presented in folklores. Urban legends inherit many similar characteristics from folklores. For example, they are popular stories concerning with humiliating, humorous, horrible and supernatural events that are transmitted from people to people via oral or written communication. Legends are anonymous because they arise spontaneously and are difficult to trace the origin of the stories. Urban legends are usually false however, they tell a type of truth. They unselfconsciously reflect the major concerns of individuals in societies. Urban legends somehow contain moralistic component and reinforce social norms. They can also respond to social chaos and reduce a threat of community’s minds. In the society full of anonymity and chaos, urban legends attempt to restore a sense of cultural identity and traditional values. The author argues that we always tend to consider urban legends as developing from the past and dying out in the contemporary society; however they still survive with an aid of
