Text万Urban myths or urban legends?iPOPPOP
Text万Urbanmythsorurbanlegends?1 LondonhasthemostextensivenetworkofundergroundtunnelsintheworldButforsomeinhabitants,thetunnelsaremorethanjustconvenient-theyliveinthem.TheLondonSubterraneansarearaceof peoplewholivebeneaththestreets.They'rehuman,buttheydon'tspeak English,andtheyhavetheirowncustoms.Occasionally,afewofthemcometothesurface.Theyonlyappearatnightthroughthe drains in a dark backstreet, and if they hear footsteps, they hide in a darkalleywayandonlycomeoutwhenit'squietagain.Andbeforesunrise,theygobackunderground.VeryfewLondonershaveseenthem,butthefriendofafriendhasseenthemseveraltimesTranslation
Text万2Truestory?Probablynot.It'sa classicexampleof what'scalled inmanylanguagesan“urbanmyth".Anurbanmyth isastoryyouhearbywordofmouth.Itusuallydescribessomethingwhichmighthavehappened,anapocryphal,second-handstorytoldas ifitweretrue,justaboutplausibleenoughtobecredible,aboutsomeeventwhichhassupposedlyhappenedtoarealperson.Factualornot,it'slikelytorelyonexpertstorytellingandonatrustworthysource,suchas"thappenedtomybrother'sfriend'smother"Transiation
Text万3However,someacademicsclaimthaturbanmythsarenotrealymyths.Accordingtothem,amythisastorywhichheld somereligiousorspiritual significanceforthosewhotolditorlistenedinthepasttoit,and whichcontributedtotheexpressionofsharedbeliefsandvalues.Howeverimprobableamythmightbe,it'salwaystrueforthosewhobelongtothatculturefromwhichthemythcomesTranslation
Text4Soshouldweusetheterm“urbanmvths?Let'slookatoneofthemostdurableoturbanmyths,TheVanishingHitchhiker.Thebasicstoryisthatofadriveraloneatnighton a dark,countryroad,who seesa young womanhitchhiking.Thedriverstopsandoffersheralift.Soonthedriverdropsthehitchhikeroffatherdestinationandtheysaygoodbye.Butit'sonlywhenthedriverstopslaterthatherealizestheyoungwomanhasleftbehindacoatwithherwallet,orsometimesanoldenvelopein the pocket.Hethengoes to the address to return thecoat.Iore...Translation