Oral history preservationOral history preservation is the field that deals with the care and upkeep of oral history materials, whatever format they may be in. Oral history is a method of historical documentation, using interviews with living survivors of the time being investigated. Oral history often touches on topics scarcely touched on by written documents, and by doing so, fills in the gaps of records that make up early historical documents.
Oral traditionOral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication in which knowledge, art, beliefs, ideas and culture are received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. The transmission is through speech or song and may include folktales, ballads, chants, prose or poetry. The information is mentally recorded by oral repositories, sometimes termed "walking libraries", who are usually also performers.
Oral historyAn Evergreen Protective Association volunteer recording an oral history at Greater Rosemont History DayOral history is the collection and study of historical information from people, families, important events, or everyday life by using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews.
StorytellingStorytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics, or embellishment. Every culture has its own narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation, or instilling moral values (sometimes through morals). Crucial elements of stories and storytelling include plot, characters, and narrative point of view.
Oral literatureProse genres Poetry genres Dramatic genresComedyLibrettoMusicalOperaPlayhistoricalmoralSatireScriptTragedyTragicomedyHistoryAncientMedievalEarly medievalEarly modernRenaissance18th19th20thContemporary21st MediaVoiceaudiobookspeechWritingbookdigital electronicsebookmanuscript Lists and outlinesOutlineGlossaryBooksEpicfolk-epicsPoetsWritersMovementspoetry groupsCyclesLiterary awardspoetryShort story collection / CycleLost literary worklacunaTheory and criticismSociologyMagazinesCompositionLanguageNarrativeComparativeCircleSocietyPost-literate SocietyPeerFeudEstateWorkshopCircleOral literature, orature, or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung in contrast to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed.
Oral lawAn oral law is a code of conduct used in a given culture, religion, or community, in which a rule or a body of rules governing human behaviour is transmitted by oral tradition and effectively respected. Many cultures and traditions have maintained oral law, while most contemporary legal systems have a formal written organisation.
FolkloreExpressive culture shared by particular groupsA German folk tale, Hansel and Gretel; illustration by Arthur Rackham, 1909Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs, poems, and jokes. This also includes material culture, such as traditional building styles common to the group.
Writing systemA writing system is any conventional system for representing a particular language using a set of symbols (called a script), as well as the rules those symbols encode. The earliest of conventional writing systems appeared during the late 4th millennium BC.
CommunicationTransmission of information"Communicate" redirects here. For other uses, see Communicate (other).There are many forms of communication, including human linguistic communication using sounds, sign language, and writing as well as animals exchanging information and attempts to communicate with intelligent extraterrestrial life.Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information.
InformationInformation is an abstract concept that refers to something which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level, it pertains to the interpretation (perhaps formally) of that which may be sensed, or their abstractions. Any natural process that is not completely random and any observable pattern in any medium can be said to convey some amount of information.
KnowledgeAwareness of facts, or competencyThe owl of Athena, a symbol of knowledge in the Western worldKnowledge is an awareness of facts (descriptive knowledge), a familiarity with individuals and situations (knowledge by acquaintance), or a practical skill (procedural knowledge). Descriptive knowledge, also called propositional knowledge, is often characterized as true belief that is distinct from opinion or guesswork by virtue of justification.
MythMyth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is different from the ordinary sense of the term myth, meaning a belief that is not true, as the veracity of a piece of folklore is entirely irrelevant to determining whether it constitutes a myth. Myths are often endorsed by religious and secular authorities, and may be natural or supernatural in character.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.