Noun

Singular tradition

Plural traditions

tradition (plural traditions)

  1. A part of culture that is passed from person to person or generation to generation, possibly differing in detail from family to family, such as the way to celebrate holidays.
    • 1920, T. S. Eliot, “Tradition and the Individual Talent”, in The Sacred Wood:
      Yet if the only form of tradition, of handing down, consisted in following the ways of the immediate generation before us in a blind or timid adherence to its successes, "tradition" should positively be discouraged.
    • 1850, Charles Dickens, A Christmas Tree:
      After breakfast, Charles Macdoodle told Lady Mary that it was a tradition in the family that those rumbling carriages on the terrace betokened death.
  2. A commonly held system.

Derived terms

From Wiktionary under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Sat Jul 4 23:25:24 2009

The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:

  1. Beliefs or customs taught by one generation to the next, often orally. For example, we can speak of the tradition of sending birth announcements.
  2. A set of customs or practices. For example, we can speak of Christmas traditions.
  3. A broad religious movement made up of religious denominations or church bodies that have a common history, customs, culture, and, to some extent, body of teachings. For example, one can speak of Islam's Sufi tradition or Christianity's Lutheran tradition.

However, on a more basic theoretical level, tradition(s) can be seen as information or composed of information. For that which is brought into the present from the past, in a particular societal context, is information. This is even more fundamental than particular acts or practices even if repeated over a long sequence of time.

From Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License
Mon Jul 6 23:27:19 2009

Bikes and hutongs in beijing experience chinese tradition | Travel ...
centercitysoka.org
Bikes and hutongs in beijing experience chinese tradition | Travel ...

sarah

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:53:12 GM

Far from boring you with further historical news and information, remember that this year would be particularly expensive to head to China's capitals, unless you are particularly fond of sports.

Michael Jackson to be buried in Muslim tradition : Report ...
news.org.bd
Michael Jackson to be buried in Muslim tradition : Report ...

admin

hu, 02 Jul 2009 11:23:17 GM

The Bangladesh News Network, Best news site in Bangladesh, Top News Network in Bangladesh, Breaking News Gateway, Hot News from Bangladesh, The Bangladesh News bulletin. The best Daily online news sites, World News and Global Opinion.

Local Shops Bag Tradition In Favor Of Reusable Sacks
treklightgear.com
Local Shops Bag Tradition In Favor Of Reusable Sacks

Seth

ue, 06 Jan 2009 19:13:33 GM

Link: Local shops bag . tradition. in favor of reusable sacks Reblog this post [with Zemanta]. If you liked this post, please share it, Digg it, Stumble it, etc. and subscribe to our RSS Feed. Be the first to rate this post ...

From Google Blog Search: "tradition"
Fri Jul 10 05:57:19 2009

Life of Cahuilla elder to be celebrated - The Desert Sun
news.google.com
Life of Cahuilla elder to be celebrated

The Desert Sun

As ceremonial tradition has it, relatives refrain from celebratory songs at this time. But Siva, who died at age 86 on June 26, would not have wanted the ...

Cahuilla elder, one of last fluent in language, dies Press-Enterprise



all 2 news articles »
Russia's First Lady Promotes Orthodox Family Values - Georgiandaily
news.google.com
Russia's First Lady Promotes Orthodox Family Values

Georgiandaily

In addition to promoting strong families in the Russian tradition , Medvedeva said, today's holiday is intended to teach young people about the importance of ...



and more »
Michael Jackson Memorial a Thriller - Hollywood Today Newsmagazine
news.google.com
Michael Jackson Memorial a Thriller

Hollywood Today Newsmagazine

The Jackson family followed in the tradition of the King of Pop's music and dance hero, James Brown after his death in 2006. The Godfather of Soul lay in ...

To the world, he was a star who transcended boundaries Los Angeles Times

Where was Michael Jackson buried? Daily Monitor

A Transcendent Last Act Washington Post

Chicago Tribune  - Times Online  - PopMatters

all 22,005 news articles »

From Google News Search: "tradition"
Fri Jul 10 08:44:45 2009

How did the tradition of hanging Christmas lights originate?
Q. Hanging Christmas lights from our house is something we've done for as long as I can remember. When, where, and why did this tradition originate?
Asked by Bill C - Mon Dec 11 20:19:45 2006 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. The decorating of Christman trees originated with the Germanic Saxon tribes in ancient times. They used candles, but this often led to fires, so with the invention of light bulbs, it wasn't long before someone thought of colored lights.
Answered by reesspieces - Mon Dec 11 20:26:29 2006

What do you think of the tradition of a fiance asking the father for his fiancee's hand in marriage?
Q. I am pretty old-fashioned ( i have even been accused of having an "agenda" against feminism by TERA), i want to wait until marriage, etc, etc, BUT I hate this tradition! My father does not own me, so why would my fiance have to do this? I don't ask his mother for his hand in marriage. What do you think? then shouldnt the fiancee ask her fiance's MOTHER?
Asked by Lasata - Fri Jan 18 16:11:39 2008 - - 39 Answers - 0 Comments

A. My husband and his family did ask for permission for him to marry me, but that is because it would please our parents, and in our culture, family is the first and most important thing. i know they dont really see me as property, they see it as a sign of respect. i personally have no interest in continuing this ritual with my children however.
Answered by Maha - Fri Jan 18 16:21:28 2008

The tradition of builders placing a coin under the door or window seal of the cottage they have built?
Q. English tradition 18/19 centurary. Carried on in Australia especially in old mining cottages?
Asked by Fred - Tue Oct 30 06:24:58 2007 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. When my parents built their house we put a coin into the wet concrete slab where ever there was an exterior door. I remember dad telling me it was for luck. My dad was born in india but his family came from England. They moved here in 1939. I carried on the tradition with the coin when I built my house in 1994.
Answered by red260z - Tue Oct 30 07:42:22 2007

From Yahoo Answer Search: "tradition"
Wed Jul 15 19:31:03 2009

Tradition refers to the adherence to practices handed down from generations past.

Sourced

Unsourced

  • All persons ought to endeavor to follow what is right, and not what is established.
  • Often, the less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it.
  • ...tradition and custom becomes intertwined and are a strong coercion which directs the society upon fixed lines, and strangles liberty.
    • William Graham Sumner
  • In that the wisdom of the few becomes available to the many, there is progress in human affairs; without it, the static routine of tradition continues.
    • Joseph Jastrow
  • Again men have been kept back as by a kind of enchantment from progress in science by reverence for antiquity, by the authority of men counted great in philosophy, and then by general consent.
  • Traditionalists are pessimists about the future and optimists about the past.
  • Tradition is an important help to history, but its statements should be carefully scrutinized before we rely on them.
  • The bird that would soar above the plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings.