TECHNOLOGY AND LITERATURE

What changes do you think technology has contributed to the evolution of literature ?

Technology makes it possible to have oral literary works easy to capture, preserve,and shared to millions of internet users and audiences worldwide. Introduction of new forms of technology prevents extinction of oral literary works as well as influencing it's growth and development. Before technology was introduced, transmission depended on oral performance. It's preservation solely depended on the performers memory as well as that of the community. Later on, discovery of print technology aided in preservation of texts. Although technology has helped in preservation of written forms of literature, it has failed in capturing all aspects of performance like non-verbal cues. 

In capturing of details of a performance, all details from the artist should be put into account. However this cannot be put into paper because they don't indicate the artists body movement as well as audience participation which makes the performance more lively and logical. Orality was and is still relevant in modern life with technology because many features are still used. It is segregated into two; primary orality which involves that which has remained totally untouched by technological intervention and secondary orality which depends on technology for existence for example telephone conversations among others. 

Another form of orality seems to be developing where almost everything is digital thus earning the tittle digital orality. Apparently,oral literature has been in existence in technology and the dynamic nature will allow it to continue existence of literature in technology. Development of equipment to capture audio and videos of performances gives the audience a privilege to enjoy non verbal cues as well as better retention of the information in their minds. This gives an idea on some whole new concept of Technauriture. Merging advanced technology with literature and the internet. 

Modern life is completely dependent on the internet and this enhances accessibility of literary works. Use of social media has brought about new forms of literature that has given opportunity to diverse veteran and amateur artists known as Twitterature. This involves a literature book in form of tweets in an application Twitter or now X.

Author:

NGUGI MACAUSTIN.