12 Questions
What is the main purpose of the author's discussion on orality and writing?
To differentiate between oral tradition and written word, and to argue that both are valuable sources for historical understanding.
According to Walter Ong, how did writing emerge in relation to orality?
Writing emerged as a complement to orality, not as a clean divergence.
What is the primary concern of the essay in relation to human communication?
The boundaries between the oral and the written.
What is the significance of the practice of rhetoric in ancient Greece in relation to orality and writing?
It shows that the written word was subject to the judgments placed on the spoken word, reflecting the manner of speech.
What do Linguistics' studies in phonemics reveal about the relationship between orality and writing?
That written words have a sound basis, and that sound has come to produce words.
Why do professional historians tend to favour written evidence over oral accounts?
Because of their literate nature, which makes them lean towards the archival written evidence.
What is the author's argument regarding the use of oral tradition as a source for historical understanding?
The oral tradition can be used as a valid source for historical understanding, and should not be seen as inferior to written sources.
What is the author's stance on the oral tradition in relation to historical understanding?
They seek to uplift the oral tradition as a valuable source of historical understanding.
Why does the author differentiate between the oral and the written?
To consider whether oral traditions can be considered a form of literature.
What is the significance of the distinction between 'orality' and 'literature' in the author's argument?
It highlights the importance of understanding oral tradition as a unique kind of 'text', rather than simply labeling it as 'literature'.
What is the main argument of the essay regarding the use of oral and written sources?
Both oral and written sources have their shortcomings, but they can both be used by historians to understand the past.
How does the author begin to develop their argument in the essay?
By contextualising speech, oral tradition, and the written word.
Explore the role of orality and literacy in human communication, particularly in the context of historical reporting and data representation. Analyze the boundaries between oral and written forms of communication and their contributions to understanding the human experience.
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