This thirtieth anniversary edition coinciding with ongs centenary year reproduces his bestknown and most influential book in full. Professor ong has managed to synthesize an incredible amount of thought and at the same time has carried some of his earlier ideas still further. Orality and literacy 25 years later centre for the study of. Orality and literacy professor walter ongs book explores some of the profound changes in our thought processes, personality and social structures which are the result, at various stages of our history, of the development of speech, writing and print. Ong was impressive in his analysis of ramus and the contribution he made to the development of knowledge, primarily through a transition from orality to literacy via the significant development of the printing press.
Sep 02, 2009 walter ongs orality and literacy is something of a classic. Expanding walter ongs theory of orality and literacy through a culture of virtuality by jennifer camille dempsey may 2014 dissertation supervised by dr. While ongs writings have been subject to critique, their influence remains significant, drawing attention to the importance of studies in cognition for the field of orality and literacy. Socrates has been arguing with protagoras about virtue. Orality and literacy professor walter ong s book explores some of the profound changes in our thought processes, personality and social structures which are the result, at various stages of our history, of the development of speech, writing and print. It is eminently assignable for undergraduate courses professor john ahernno comparable work on this important subject exists. Pdf files that visitors can read online or print out. Oct 08, 2014 in a primary oral culture, writes walter j. It explores the changes in consciousness that have been wrought by the introduction of literacy and then print into human culture. Ongs classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electronic technologies, and their impact on philosophical, theological, scientific and literary thought. It is possible to generalize somewhat about the psychodynamics of primary oral cultures, that is, of oral cultures untouched by writing. Communication theoryorality and literacy wikibooks, open. Ongs classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electronic technologies, and their impact, isbn 9780415538381 buy the orality and literacy.
The book was republished in 2002 and again on its 30 th anniversary in 2012, showing enduring interest in ongs scholarship and ideas. Ong 1982 represents efforts to understand how orality and literacy shape cognition and cultures. Like print encourages a sense of closure, a sense that what is found in a text has been finalized, has reached a state of completion. Ongs classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electr. His many publications have been highly influential for studies in the evolution of consciousness. This dissertation seeks to create a vision for virtuality culture through a theoretical expansion of walter ong s literacy and orality culture model. As the paradoxical relationships of orality and literacy in rhetoric and learned latin suggest, the transition from orality to literacy was slow ong 1967b, pp. Chapter 3 orality and literacy revisited by gilles gravelle. Full text of ong walter, orality and literacy internet archive. Ongs book proved popular and the publisher reissued it in.
Orality and literacy professor walter ongs book explores some of the profound changes in our thought processes, personality and social. With regard to oral tradition and primary orality he draws on pioneering work by milman parry, albert b. The first volume appeared at a time when people were. Orality, literacy, and the tradition intercollegiate. The changes, according to ong, have been momentous. As i read ong, i kept having what i will call ongmoments. Every textbook comes with a 21day any reason guarantee. His account has more than just historical interest, however, as there remain in the world today many cultures that are primarily oral. Like print encourages a sense of closure, a sense that what is found in a text. In orality and literacy, walter ong gives a fascinating account of how the development of writing and moveable print has forever changed the way people think and process information. Some of these folks cant read, but many who can at a basic level are.
Ong s classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electronic technologies, and their impact, isbn 9780415538374 buy the orality and literacy. Ong offers fascinating insights into oral genres across the globe and through time, and examines the rise of abstract philosophical and scientific. Professor walter ongs book explores some of the profound changes in our. The subject of this book is the differences between orality and literacy. He considers the impact of oralityliteracy studies not only on literary. Ong s classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electronic technologies, and their impact on philosophical, theological, scientific and literary thought. Ong i style the orality of a culture totally untouched by any knowledge or writing or print, primary orality. Walter ongs orality and literacy is something of a classic. Orality and literacy 25 years later semantic scholar. Ong s extraordinary orality and literacy which documents the invention of writing and its effect on culture. The orality and literacy issue revisited oral tradition journal.
Walter ong s 1988 book orality and literacy was a landmark in communication theory, articulating many of the central concerns of the toronto school about the relationship between technologies of. A closing chapter that follows up ongs work on orality and literacy in relation to. Ong 19122003 is highly regarded within the universal view camp. As the internet rises as a center for reading and writing, many are expressing concerns about fractured reading, shallow knowledge, and shorter attention. Ong offers fascinating insights into oral genres across the globe and through time, and examines the rise of abstract philosophical and scientific thinking. The term literature is used to describe oral cultures despite the fact.
Ongs classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of. Ong, especially in his book orality and literacy and. Secondary orality as the foundation of a new literacy. Orality and literacy biblical studies oxford bibliographies. And he projects his analysis further into the age of mass electronic communications. Expanding walter ong s theory of orality and literacy through a culture of virtuality by jennifer camille dempsey may 2014 dissertation supervised by dr.
Orality and literacy 1982 walter ong the orality of language verbal language is paramount no other type of language can exist without it grapholect. He considers the impact of oralityliteracy studies not only on literary criticism and theory but on our very understanding of what it is to be a human. The former has no knowledge of the written language whereas the latter is rooted from the oral culture and is dominated by writing and print cultures. In the book orality and literacy, walter ong mentions a primary oral culture and a chirographic culture. May 19, 2007 walter ong investigates the differences between a culture based on oral tradition and those based on the written word. Read orality and literacy 30th anniversary edition by walter j. At one moment in the debate, plato shows us protagorass cognitive limitations in a way that is striking, especially if we put it in the context of havelocks and ongs discussion of orality and literacy. Expanding walter ongs theory of orality and literacy through a. Ong 2002, ong sums up his own work over the previous three decades as well as the work of numerous other scholars. Ong does not waste ink in praise of reading and writing. He considers the impact of orality literacy studies not only on literary criticism and theory but on our very understanding of what it is to be a human.
Ong 30 november 1912 12 august 2003 was university professor emeritus at saint louis university, usa, where he was previously professor of english and professor of humanities in psychiatry. This dissertation seeks to create a vision for virtuality culture through a theoretical expansion of walter ongs literacy and orality culture model. He finds that the kind of word for word transmission of. Jan 23, 2007 professor mindy mcadamss presentation about some of the key ideas from walter j. One of the best and most challenging books ive read in recent months is walter j. This thirtieth anniversary edition coinciding with ongs centenary year reproduces his bestknown and most influential book in full and brings it up to date with two. Ong explains that while words and text can be viewed in a state of permanence, sound exists only when it is going out of existence. Ongs extraordinary orality and literacy which documents the invention of writing and its effect on culture. Ong calls writing a technological revolution that not only transformed societies, but also restructured the way individuals think and feel in the privacy of their own minds. Rent orality and literacy 3rd edition 9780415538381 today, or search our site for other textbooks by walter j.
The book, so far, is a corker, and looks to have significant implications for any discussion of markets as conversations and the like. His chapter entitled some psychodynamics of orality has been particularly. The former has no knowledge of the written language whereas the latter is rooted from the oral culture and is. John hartley is an educator, author, researcher and commentator on the history and cultural. Professor mindy mcadamss presentation about some of the key ideas from walter j. Walter jackson ong sj november 30, 1912 august 12, 2003 was an american jesuit priest, professor of english literature, cultural and religious historian and philosopher. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The book, so far, is a corker, and looks to have significant implications for any discussion of markets as conversations and the.
It is primary by contrast with the secondary orality of presentday hightechnology culture, in which a new orality is sustained by telephone, radio, television, and other electronic devices that depend for their existence and functioning on writing and print. Ongs conclusions in orality and literacy 1982 are generally regarded as accurate depictions, and serve as the foundation for development of theories, strategies, and methodologies. Ong on the differences between orality and literacy new. Thanks to the lucidity of its style and presentation of complex thought. He notes the benefits of literacy, but his foundational point is that writing and subsequent print culture came from something from a rich and welldeveloped culture of speech speech orality is more basic to humanity than literacy. Ong, 9780415538381, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Ongs classic work provides a fascinating insight into the social effects of oral, written, printed and electronic technologies, and their impact, isbn 9780415538374 buy the orality and literacy. He finds that the kind of word for word transmission of spoken information. With the advent of technology there is a culture of new orality that is sustained by phones, radio and television. This thirtieth anniversary edition coinciding with ongs centenary year reproduces his bestknown and most influential book in full and brings it up. This is a topic that i had never thought about and it is truly fascinating. Walter ongs 1988 book orality and literacy was a landmark in communication theory, articulating many of the central concerns of the toronto school about the relationship between technologies of. This thirtieth anniversary edition coinciding with ongs centenary year.
This is a book no reader, writer or speaker should be without. Oct 15, 2010 a primary oral culture is defined by walter j. In 1978 ong served as elected president of the modern language association. Ong this classic work explores the vast differences between oral and literate cultures offering a very clear account of the intellectual, literary and social effects of writing, print and electronic technology. Walter ong investigates the differences between a culture based on oral tradition and those based on the written word. Ong explores the difference between primary orality and secondary orality, specifically focusing on the experience of these two modes through different senses. The technologizing of the word 25 years ago, in 1982. Lastmentioned is the pristine orality of mankind untouched by writing or print.
Ong on the differences between orality and literacy walter ong characterises the main differences between the languages of oral and literate cultures in these terms. The literacy part, not so much, although the transition from orality to literacy is very interesting. This classic work explores the vast differences between oral and literate cultures offering a very clear account of the intellectual, literary and social effects of writing, print and electronic technology. His major interest was in exploring how the transition from orality to literacy influenced culture and changed human consciousness. Thirtythree years ago walter ong published his lifes work in orality and literacy. This post is the first in a series of notes on walter ongs book orality and literacy.