Literacy and Orality

Thedebateonthesocialandpsychologicalimplicationsofliteracyentersanewstagewiththepublicationofthisvolume.Distinguishedscholarsprovideasustainedanddetailedexaminationoftherelationsbetweenoralityandliteracy,thetraditionsbasedonthem,thefunctionsservedbythem,andthepsychologicalandlinguisticprocessesrecruitedandenhancedbythem.Bysheddingtheromanticviewthatliteracyistheroyalroadtorationalityandmodernity,thevolumeprovidesamorefunctionalviewofliteracy.Itplacesanewemphasisontherelationshipbetweenspeakingandwriting,andhighlightsthedifferentwaysinwhichpeopleexploittheparticularresourcesofspeechandwritingforspecialpurposessuchasbuildingcommunity,creatingrecords,specialisinggenressuchasprosefiction,enhancingprivatestudyandmeditation,andenhancingthespecialisationandorganisationofknowledge.