To cause something to become traditional; to establish or reinforce traditions around an activity, practice, or belief. This often involves codifying customs, rituals, or values and passing them down through generations. Traditionalizing can also mean adapting pre-existing practices to fit within a framework of perceived tradition, even if those practices are relatively recent or have undergone significant changes over time. It implies a process of both creating and solidifying a sense of continuity with the past. The emphasis is on establishing accepted practices and ensuring their preservation, often emphasizing a sense of cultural or historical legitimacy. It's about building heritage and continuity and, by extension, resistance to change.
Traditionalize meaning with examples
- The community decided to traditionalize their annual harvest festival, introducing specific songs, dances, and costume requirements to foster a stronger sense of cultural identity and connection to their ancestors, providing the framework for their descendants.
- Faced with a rapidly changing world, the family sought to traditionalize their holiday celebrations, ensuring that familiar dishes, decorations, and gift-giving rituals remained central, which helped to ground the children.
- The marketing team worked to traditionalize the brand's image, drawing on historical advertising campaigns and design elements to create a sense of longevity and heritage to resonate with older consumers as well as the young.
- To counteract the erosion of local languages, the government aimed to traditionalize language education by incorporating traditional storytelling, poetry, and oral history into the curriculum, strengthening community bonds.
- Over time, religious groups traditionalize their practices. They will add new rituals, creating elaborate ceremonies based on old ones, to attract more adherents and reinforce their commitment to their belief system.