Oral narratives can be defined in various ways depending on their context and purpose.
Here are five
definitions:
1. Cultural Storytelling: Oral narratives are stories passed down orally from one generation to the next,
often preserving a community’s cultural values, traditions, and history.
2. Verbal Art: They are a form of verbal expression or art, where the storyteller uses language creatively
to engage the audience, often involving improvisation, performance, and dramatic techniques.
3. Personal Experiences: Oral narratives can be a way of sharing personal experiences or memories,
allowing individuals to recount significant life events or lessons learned through spoken word.
4. Historical Accounts: These narratives can serve as an informal or personal way to record historical
events or societal changes, offering a first-hand perspective on past experiences.
5. Literary Form: Oral narratives are a specific type of literary form that relies on storytelling conventions
such as plot, character development, and theme, but it is performed and transmitted through speech
rather than written text.
Oral narratives have several distinct features that differentiate them from written narratives. Here are
some key characteristics:
1. Spoken Form: Oral narratives are told verbally, often in real-time, rather than being written down. The
storyteller uses voice, tone, and sometimes body language to convey the story.
2. Repetition: Repetition of phrases, words, or themes is common in oral narratives. It helps with
memory retention, emphasizes key points, and adds rhythm to the storytelling.
3. Flexibility: Oral narratives are not fixed. The storyteller may adapt or change details depending on the
audience, context, or their own interpretation, allowing for a dynamic storytelling experience.
4. Interactive: Oral storytelling is often interactive, with the audience responding or participating. This
can include laughter, questions, or even offering feedback during the narrative.
5. Formulaic Phrases: These are stock phrases or expressions used by the storyteller, like "Once upon a
time" or "And they lived happily ever after," which help structure the narrative and ease the flow of
storytelling.
6. Performance Aspect: Oral narratives often involve performance, with the storyteller using gestures,
facial expressions, and varying tone of voice to enhance the emotional impact of the story.
7. Cultural Transmission: They are a means of transmitting culture, values, traditions, and history across
generations. Oral narratives often reflect the beliefs, social norms, and practices of the culture they
come from.
8. Memory Dependent: The narrator typically relies on memory rather than a written script, making
each telling of the story unique.
9. Immediacy and Personalization: The storyteller can adapt the narrative to the specific audience,
adding personal details or improvising based on the listeners' reactions.
10. Use of Imagery and Symbolism: Oral narratives often rely heavily on vivid imagery and symbols to
make the story more engaging and memorable, creating strong visual and emotional impacts.
These features allow oral narratives to be a living and evolving form of storytelling, deeply rooted in the
cultural and social context of the community.
