Final answer:
The term for the phase in a rumor where many details are dropped and only a few key elements remain is known as the 'leveling' process. It is characteristic of the way oral stories evolve over time, often retaining only the most sensational parts for ease of transmission. A 'broken myth' is an acknowledged untrue story that is told for its moral or cultural value, and it too undergoes leveling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phase of a rumor when most details of a story are lost, leaving only a few elements remaining, is often referred to as the leveling process. This phenomenon occurs in the transmission of oral stories, where through the course of being told and retold, extraneous and less significant details tend to be omitted, while only the core pieces of information or most sensational aspects of the story are retained. In a sense, the rumor becomes streamlined for easier transmission and recall, often at the cost of losing the nuances and fullness of the original version.
In the context of a broken myth, which is a tale recognized to be untrue yet shared for its underlying values, leveling plays a role in shaping the narrative to resonate with the cultural or social norms of the audience. Thus, the broken myth persists not for its factual accuracy, but for the lessons or morals it conveys.