What is Orality?
Orality, as Walter Ong explains, is how people communicated long before writing was invented. People shared stories and ideas through spoken words, memorized, and passed down face-to-face. This way of communicating shaped how early humans understood the world. When writing was introduced, it dramatically changed communication by making it possible to record and pass down knowledge in written form.
Walter Ong’s Secondary Orality
Walter Ong’s idea of secondary orality got me thinking about how we communicate today. He describes it as a mix of spoken communication and writing. We see this in modern media like podcasts, radio shows, TV, and social media. These forms of communication often feel like a conversation, but they are usually influenced by written scripts or content. This mix of speech and written text is something we use every single day, even if we don’t always notice it.
J.D. Applen’s article “Old Media, New Media, and Knowledge” (2013) also talks about how new media changes the way we communicate. He explains that even in “oral” forms like social media or websites, writing still plays a key role. This makes Ong’s idea even more relevant today, as we continue to blend speech and writing in digital spaces.
My Digital Connection to Ong’s Idea
Ong’s idea of secondary orality made me realize how much digital media shapes how I connect with others. Whether it’s on social media, YouTube, or a live stream, we interact in real-time, but those interactions are still influenced by written content. This combination of speech and writing creates a new way of communicating.
Reflecting on the Shift
Reflecting on this, I see how secondary orality influences how we communicate in today’s digital age. It’s a reminder of how speech and writing continue to shape the way we connect with each other.
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