KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.

ORAL LITERATURE
1. Define the term oral literature.
Spoken, acted and performed art whose transmission/ presentation/media is by word of mouth.
2. Identify three main genres/ categories/forms/types/ kinds/ classes of oral literature.
 Oral narratives
 Short forms
 Oral songs/ poems
3. State eight (8) types/ sub-genres/ sub-categories/ sub-classes of oral narratives.
 Legends
 Myths
 Dilemma
 Aetiological/ Explanatory/ Why stories (tales)
 Trickster narratives/ tales/ stories
 Ogre/ monster narratives
 Fables
 Parables
4. State all short forms:
 Proverbs
 Riddles
 Tongue twisters.
 Puns
 Jokes
 Idioms
5. State at least 5 key characteristics of the 8 sub-genres/ sub-categories of oral narratives.
a) Legends:
 They are historical.
 Based on community hero/ heroine.
 Hero/ heroine have supernatural powers/ abilities.
 True in nature.
 Hero/ heroine usually sacrifices a lot on behalf of the community.
 Have a moral lesson.
b) Myths:
 Are sacred/ religious.
 Tell about origin of a community; certain beliefs and customs.
 There is reference to superhuman being/ Involve superhuman being.
 Based on history of a community.
c) Dilemma tales/ narratives:
 Protagonist has to make a tough choice.
 None of the choice is easy to make.
 Protagonist usually regrets the choice made.
 Always ends with a question.
 Have a moral lesson.
d) Aetiological/ Explanatory/Why narratives:
 Explain the origin of natural phenomena/ occurrences.
 Explain why things are the way they are.
 Deal with the question: Why?
 Heavily rely on the cultural background of the community.
 Have a moral lesson.
e) Trickster narratives/ tales/ stories
 Involve treachery/ deceit/ cunning; trickster tricks another, dupe is tricked.
 Involve small versus big animals.
 Small animals are usually intelligent and cunning.
 Big animals are usually mighty but gullible and foolish.
 Test brain (intelligence) versus brawn (strength/ power)
 Small animals always trick the big animals.
 Have moral lesson.
Page 1 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
f) Ogre/ monster narratives
 Involve interaction between ogres/ monsters and human beings.
 Involve creatures from human imagination and fantasy (unreality).
 Creatures have the ability turn themselves into human forms.
 Creatures always take advantage of the vulnerable/ weak in the society.
 Monsters/ ogres are pursued/ hunted by heroes/ heroines.
 Teach a moral lesson.
g) Fables
 Involve animal characters.
 The animal characters give human qualities and attributes (traits) – personified.
 Derived from particular backgrounds.
 Politely teach social norms/ standards/ rules.
 Teach a moral lesson.
h) Parables
 Have a religious allusion/ reference.
 Used to teach a moral lesson.
 Are a form of education.
 Use human characters.
6. State the appropriate steps/ stages in a riddling process/ cycle.
1. Invitation – Challenger draws the attention of audience using an opening formula, for instance:
‘I Have a riddle.’
2. Acceptance- Respondent responds or accepts to take the challenge, for instance:
‘Throw it.’
3. Challenge/Riddle – Challenger poses/ gives the challenge (riddle) itself.
4. Guesses or answers- Respondents try to answer; provide guesses.
5. Prize – Challenger asks for a prize in order to provide a solution in cases where respondents
fail to answer it correctly. The prize is given, challenger finally accepts it.
6. Solution – Challenger gives the right answer.
7. Highlight reasons why we study oral literature.
 A form of education.
 To understand our culture.
 To understand our history.
 As a form of entertainment.
 For recreation; leisure.
 National integration.
8. Body languages:
 Nodding
 Smiling
 Sitting posture (upright or leaning forward)
 Dancing
 Clapping/ applauding
 Laughing
 Frowning
 Waving
 Stamping feet.
9. Verbal skills/ devices/ cues:
 Voice projection; in order to audible.
 Tonal variation; to break monotony & create interest.
 Stress; to emphasize on certain issue/ point.
 Intonation; to express different feelings/ moods and meanings.
 Proper articulation (pronunciation)
10. Non-verbal cues/ devices/ para-linguistic; extra-linguistic features:
  Use of gestures (gesticulation); stretching hands, waving, swinging, pointing, clapping,
thumbing, raising hand, spreading hands, shaking hands etc
  Facial expression; smiling, nodding, frowning, blinking, widening eyes, eye contact, \
winking etc
Page 2 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
  Body movement; bending, stretching one’s body, enlarging stomach, curtsying ,bowing,
shaking one’s body etc
  Dramatization/ dramatic aspects; acting out scenes like jumping etc
  Pregnant pauses; significant/ meaningful pauses (breaks) - to achieve certain effects such
as suspense.
  Mimicry; imitation of sounds specific certain animals or beings during narration.
11. Body languages that show alertness on the part of audience:
 Nodding
 Smiling
 Clapping
 Applauding
 Laughing
 Sitting upright
 Leaning forward
12. Ways in which the audience can contribute towards a successful delivery of a narrative:
 Joining in choral parts (singing).
 Clapping/ applauding.
 Cheering.
 Telling parts of the story.
 Nodding in agreement.
13. Conventional ways of attracting attention:
 Telling a relevant proverb
 Giving an appropriate, summarizing riddle.
 Using an appropriate opening phrase/ introductory statement: “I have a story/ take a story/ story
story”
 Challenging them with a tongue-twister.
 Posing/ asking a surprising question.
 Ringing a bell or drum
 Whistling
 Clearing throat
 Clapping
14. State at least 4 factors/ cues/ oral devices that make a story interesting/ thrilling/
captivating.
 Use of facial expressions; smiling, frowning, nodding, blinking, eye contact etc
 Use of gestures; waving, pointing, clapping, swinging hands, greeting, etc
 Use of mimicry; imitation – Imitating the sounds typical to different characters in order to play
their role in the performance.
 Vary tone/ tonal variation; raising and lowering voice/pitch to express different moods/
atmosphere (lower voice for love and expressive situations; and high for anger and
surprising/exciting/happy and joyous situations).
Voice projection - Say a word or line in a sharp, sudden and loud voice in order to reach the
audience audibly and clearly as possible.
 Dramatization/ dramatic aspects – Enacting/ acting out scenes as if they are real ones. Performing
scenes to make them appear real, memorable and exciting. For instance, jumping.
 Singing – Chanting/ singing in the course of narration in order to break the monotony of
narration, enrich/ supplement the narration with certain information that would have otherwise
been absent, allow audience participation in narration, capture the attention of the audience,
allow smooth transition from one scene to another, help build audience-narrator rapport, sets
the mood of the narrative and comic relief.
15. State story telling devices that would enliven the narrative; if employed.
 Use of facial expressions.
 Use of gestures.
 Use of mimicry.
 Change of tone/ tonal variation.
 Dramatization/ enactment of scenes.
 Singing.
Page 3 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
16. State qualities of a good storyteller/ narrator: He/ should have;
 Good memory; must have good retention of the narrative.
 Recreates the story afresh/ anew every time it is narrated.
 Confident, courageous and determined; composed.
 Creative; original and imaginative – should think artistically and creatively.
 Should be able to use mimicry; imitate the speech and actions.
 Should know his/ her (their) audience in terms of age, motivational level and preferences.
 Observant; should be a good observer of what is happening in the immediate environment; should
master elements in the community and use/ apply them
appropriately and easily during narration.
 Knowledgeable in terms of culture; should have interest in culture.
 Open-minded
 Employs dramatization and other para-linguistic features to enhance
performance.
17. State typical features of narratives and songs/ poems.
 Timelessness: The exact time when narrative took place is not mentioned.
It is indicated by the presence of opening and closing formula.
 Elements of fantasy: They have elements/ aspects of imagination; things
beyond the experience of a normal human being; for instance animals or
inanimate objects talking.
The presence of ogres.
 Moral lessons: Narratives have teachings (virtues/morals) drawn from them.
They should be given positively. For instance, we should be honest.
 Direct Address/ direct speech: Speaker talks directly to another person,
animal or inanimate object (apostrophe).
 Beginning/ opening formula:
 Long ago….
 Once upon a time….
 There lived….
 In older days….
Functions of opening formula:
 It announces the start of the narrative.
 It attracts the attention of the audience.
 It identifies the narrator.
 It takes the audience to the world of fantasy.
 Closing/ ending formula:
 That is the end of my story.
 And that is my story.
 Thereafter and they lived happily.
 My story ends there.
Functions of closing formula:
 It announces the end of the narrative.
 It releases the audience from concentration.
 It paves way for the next narrative.
 It brings back the audience to the world of reality.
 Ideophones: Repetition of actual natural sounds in which the words are not
found in the dictionary. For instance, krrrr…Ouch! Hahaha…, tap tap tap….
 Dialogue: Conversation between characters is evident in narratives.
This is to make it live, real and captivating.
 Personification: Human qualities/ attributes are given to animals or inanimate
objects. For instance, stone talking or hare laughing.
 Repetition/ Refrain/ Chorus// Repetition of action: Aspects of repetition of
words, phrases, clauses or sentences are evident in order to:
 Emphasize on certain point(s), concept(s), issue(s), topic(s) or idea(s).
 It also creates rhythm in the narrative.
 It gives mood to the narrative.
Page 4 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
 Use of local/ ethnic words: Use of vernacular language i.e Wat, ‘Mikai,
Misumba, chik, dak’ in order;
 Give the narrative a local flavour/ beauty.
 Provide setting; place where the story was set.
 Mimicry: Imitation of words or sounds of other characters.
 Use of proverbs: This is in order to precisely/ briefly capture the moral lesson
of the narrative.
 Use of songs: This is in order to;
 Allows the audience to participate in singing.
 Creates rapport between the audience and the singer.
 Breaks the monotony of narration.
 It acts as a code/ system of communication between characters.
 It allows as a comic relief; makes audiences laugh hence relieving
tension.
 Sets the mood of the narrative.
 Allows smooth transition between scenes.
 Lack geographical specificity: Narratives lack exact mention of particular
places where the story is set. It just uses words such as:
 Far far away.
 In a distant place.
18. Highlight general features of songs.
 Involves aspects of poetry and chants (singing and jumping).
 Community property.
 Have lots of traditional elements.
 Dynamic; keep on absorbing new themes.
 Reflect real experiences in contemporary society.
 Use images and symbols from the immediate environment.
 Have refrain/ chorus to allow audience participation.
 Are in verse form (group of lines that form a single unit).
 Use lots of repetition.
 Have rhetorical questions, similes, metaphors, rhyme and rhythm.
19. State features of an oral song/poem.
 Repetition
 Transliteration/ direct translation
 Direct address/ Apostrophe
 Short stanzas/ lines
 Parallelism; uniformity in structure
 Simple vocabulary.
 Figurative language.
20. Describe the poetic language/structure evident in songs.
 Repetition/ refrain
 Rhetorical/ rhetoric questions
 Similes
 Metaphors
 Rhythm
 Rhyme
 Verse form
21. Explain the aspects of integration that exist between oral songs and oral poetry:
 Sound pattern; rhyme – creates rhythm leading to musicality and memorability.
 Repetition/ refrain. – creates emphasis and musicality and aid in memorability.
 Figures of speech/ figurative language; simile, metaphors, personification etc.
 Rhetorical questions
22. Highlight key themes typical to legends:
 Prophecy and supernatural powers.
 Important service to the community.
 Major struggles.
Page 5 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
 Betrayal.
 Victory and defeat.
23. Identify types of oral/ poems songs with their respective alternative names if
applicable:
 Work songs
 Love songs
 Political songs
 Religious/ sacred songs
 Wedding songs
 Topical songs.
 Initiation/ circumcision songs
 Funeral songs/ dirges
 War songs
 Teasing/ satirical songs
 Praise/ panegyric songs.
 Lullaby songs
 Children’s play songs/ singing games
 Chain songs
 Child naming songs
24. Highlight typical, key and specific features and functions of every type of song:
 Love songs;
 Express love for the opposite sex; woo them.
 They can express sorrow at being rejected.
 Either performed by a group or individual.
 They are romantic in nature.
 They can involve dialogue between lovers.
 Wedding songs;
 They are sung by the bride and/ or her companions.
 They are characterized by pomp/ show and celebration.
 They are usually accompanied by drums, shakers, jingles etc
 Praise the pride and groom and their family.
 Express the role of the bride and that of the groom.
 Express sorrow of leaving home and parting with friends.
 Warn of the challenges likely to be faced at groom’s place.
 Enhance happy mood during the wedding time.
 War songs: They are sung in preparation for, during and after war by warriors.
 They are highly repetitive.
 Express fighter’s prowess/ heroism and courage.
 Are exaggerated.
 May scorn/ condemn opponent.
 Praise political leaders.
 Sung with lots of gusto/ enthusiasm/ passion/ enjoyment/ delight/ pleasure/ zest.
 Sacred songs:
 They have stanzas and a chorus.
 They are structurally repetitive.
 They are slow and solemn.
 They have steady rhythm.
 They address a supreme being and emphasize people’s helplessness.
 Work songs:
 They are hardly accompanied except with sounds of work tools.
 They are fast so as to create rhythm for work.
 They are repeated over to last the duration of the job at hand.
 They may extol/ praise hardwork and denounce/ condemn laziness.
 They may ridicule/ condemn/ deride a known miser or lazy person in the community.
 Initiation/ Circumcision songs:
 They are sung by initiates and elders.
Page 6 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
 They have elaborate accompaniments like shakers, horns, drums etc
 They encourage the initiates to be brave.
 They mock cowardice.
 They emphasize the new roles of the initiates as men and women the community.
 They appreciate forefathers of the community for upholding and bequeathing/ living this tradition
for them.
 They raise the bravery of the initiates.
 Dirges/ Funeral songs:
 They are sung by mourners.
 They are somber/ sad/ melancholic.
 They are repetitive.
 They may be fast or slow.
 They are accompanied with a lot of drumming and dancing to cheer up the bereaved.
 They express sorrow and disbelief at the loss of loved one.
 They praise the achievement and virtues of the dead.
 Lullabies:
 They are sung softly.
 Are repetitive.
 Have slow rocking rhythm.
 Have soothing words that even lying to the child. Some lie that mother has gone away to bring the
child a tantalizing/ enticing/alluring gift.
 Singing games:
 They are short and quick-changing from song to song to avoid children getting bored.
 They are repetitive.
 They are characterized with mockery/ ridicule.
 Are highly playful.
 Are rhythmic.
25. Compare and contrast myths and legends:
Similarities;
 They are stories- they have plot and characters.
 Based on oral tradition.
 They are mostly transmitted orally.
 Usually specific to a group of people.
 Involve things from the immediate environment; forests, lakes etc
 Involve gods and supernatural world.
 They are believed to be true.
 They tell about someone or events in the past.
Differences:
 Legends are solely based on exploits/ achievements of human characters while myths sometimes
only involve gods and animals.
 Some legends are attributed to historical characters, like Lwanda Magere while myths are purely
fictional/ imaginary.
 Legends revolve around historical characters, events, their struggles and achievements while
myths revolve around the origin/ creation of people and other things (customs, taboos etc), and
events in their environment such as death.
 Myths are religious (sacred) while legends historical.

Legends Myths

1. Involve exploits/ achievements of Involve gods and animals

human characters.
2. Involve historical characters like Involve fictional/ imaginary
Lwanda Magere characters.
3. They explain events, struggles and They explain the origin/ creation of
achievements of real, human people and other things (customs,taboos,
characters death and other natural
Page 7 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
occurrences)
4. They are historical They are religious (sacred).
.
26. Briefly describe the term didactic function in literature:
They refer to educative function.
27. State the main features of panegyric (praise) songs:
 They use extensive metaphors; comparing people to animals to promote certain
admirable/ valuable qualities.
 They glorify people especially good leaders with admirable qualities.
28. Similarities between tongue twisters and proverbs.
 They both use mnemonics, sound patterns, alliteration and assonance.
 They are brief.
 They are fixed.
 They are communally accepted.
29. Highlight the key features of short forms;
proverbs, riddles, tongue-twisters, puns and jokes:
 Proverbs:
 Precise/ short
 Metaphorical; have hidden meanings
 Have fixed wordings.
 Express community’s wisdom and philosophy (principle)
 Serious statement in nature.
 Based on facts.
 They can have two parts; proposition and completion.
 Riddles:
 Short/ brief
 Metaphorical; have word puzzle that require solution.
 Require two people to complete
 Informal
 In question-answer format.
 Symmetrical (show balance and trimness in structure)
 Has opening formula
 Performed by children
 Tongue twisters:
 Are brief statements.
 Are alliterative
 May or may not make sense
 May be formed at any time as they are not hard and fast.
30. Describe the key aspects of plot commonly evident in narratives.
 Exposition – The beginning
 Rising action
 Climax - The middle
 Falling action (denouement)
 Resolution – The end.
31. Identify the things lost when a tongue-twister is translated:
 Authenticity; accuracy, originality
 Local flavour; beauty.
 Connotative meaning.
 Sound pattern; alliteration/rhythm/ musicality.
32. Define the term translation and transcription in oral literature.
Translation: changing oral literature material from original language to a language of study – for
instance, English.
Transcription: writing down oral literature material from a tape without altering anything.
33. Explain the term respondent in two different contexts:
a) A person who accepts/ reacts to a challenge given by challenger in riddling process.
b) A person who answers the informant upon questioning during the interview.
Page 8 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
34. Explain the importance of opening and closing formula:
a) Opening formula;
 Marks the start of the narrative.
 Takes the audience to the world of fantasy (imagination).
b) Closing formula;
 Marks the end of narrative.
 Brings the audience back to the world of reality.
 Invites another narrator to take his/ her turn.
35. State and explain 4 classification of proverbs:
 Advisory proverbs; advise/ counsel.
 Cautionary proverbs; warn/ caution.
 Normative proverbs; reinforce/ strengthen what the society considers desirable/ valuable:
‘All that glitters is not gold.’
 Summative proverbs; summarize words of wisdom to give moral lesson.
36. State 6 aspects of performance:
 Use of costume
 Intonation
 Sound track; recorded music accompanying performance.
 Gestures
 Movements
 Props/ décor; anything movable/ portable on stage.
37. State 5 ways of beginning a story in order to attract the attention of the audience:
 Telling a relevant proverb
 Giving an appropriate, summarizing riddle.
 Using an appropriate opening phrase/ introductory statement: “I have a story/take a story/ story
story”
 Challenging them with a tongue-twister.
 Ringing a bell or drum
 Whistling
 Clearing throat
 Clapping
38. Outline the social functions of all short forms:
Proverbs:
 Entertainment
 Recording history
 Cultural transmission
 For education purposes
 A measure of wisdom
 Promotion of morality/ social norms
 Enrich language
 To console
 To praise
 To compare situations and things
 To caution/ warn.
Riddles:
 Entertainment
 Recording history.
 A commentary on human life.
 Linguistic training
 A form of education
 To sharpen critical thinking/ wits.
 Tongue twisters:
 Entertainment.
 A pastime activity.
39. Identify some social/ socio-cultural, socio-economic and economic activities
evident in some narratives:
Page 9 of 10
 KENTOUCH REVISION 2025 By m.k.j.
 Farming
 Fishing
 Animal husbandry/ pastoralism
 Hunting
 Bee keeping
 Brewing
 Cattle raiding; social activity. etc
40. State the importance of a song during narration:
 Allows the audience to participate in singing.
 Creates rapport between the audience and the singer.
 Breaks the monotony of narration.
 It acts as a code/ system of communication between characters.
 It allows as a comic relief; makes audiences laugh hence relieving tension.
 Sets the mood of the narrative.
 Allows smooth transition between scene

Page 10 of 10