Filk is a term used in the science fiction and fantasy community to describe a subgenre of folk music. The spelling of the word is somewhat unusual, and may seem confusing at first glance. However, the pronunciation of filk is fairly straightforward: it is pronounced like "filk," with the "i" being pronounced as in "ill" and the "k" making a hard "k" sound. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word would be /fɪlk/. Despite its odd spelling, filk music has gained a dedicated following over the years.
The word "filk" is a term coined in the science fiction and fantasy fandom community. It originated in the 1950s and 1960s during folk singing sessions at science fiction conventions. The term combines the words "folk" and "music" to create "filk". The spelling variation of "filk" instead of "folk" is typically attributed to a typographical error that occurred in a program book for the 1960 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon). Despite the error, the term stuck and became widely adopted within the community. Filk music refers to a genre of music that often incorporates elements of science fiction, fantasy, and fandom-related themes. It has since expanded beyond just folk music and encompasses various musical styles.