Identify and explain features, genres, and functions of oral literature.

here are the answers to Question 1:

QUESTION 1: ORAL LITERATURE

a) Identify 4 distinctive features of oral literature.

• Performance: Oral literature is meant to be performed, often involving gestures, voice modulation, and audience interaction.
• Repetition: It frequently uses repetitive phrases, songs, or events for emphasis and to aid memorization.
• Audience Participation: Listeners often engage through call-and-response, questions, or interjections, making it interactive.
• Reliance on Memory: Since it is transmitted orally, it relies heavily on the memory of the performer and the audience for its preservation.

b) Identify four genres of oral literature.

• Oral Narratives: These include myths, legends, folktales, trickster tales, and ogre narratives.
• Oral Poetry/Songs: This genre encompasses lullabies, dirges, praise songs, work songs, and epics.
• Short Forms: This category includes proverbs, riddles, and tongue twisters.
• Oral Dramas: These are performances that often involve acting out stories or events, sometimes as part of ceremonies.

c) Explain 3 functions of oral literature in society.

• Education and Moral Instruction: Oral literature serves to teach societal values, norms, history, and practical skills, guiding individuals on proper conduct and cultural understanding.
• Entertainment: It provides amusement and enjoyment for the audience, often during leisure time, fostering community bonding and relaxation.
• Preservation of Culture and History: It acts as a vital means of transmitting cultural heritage, traditions, beliefs, and historical accounts from one generation to the next, ensuring continuity.