No truly human society could exist without the use of a natural human language.
             The word "literature" is etimologically related to "letters". The earliest English poetry wich has survived is written in Old English poetry many linguistic devices which derive from oral verse, devices such as the regular and systematic use of alliteration, assonance, occurrence of stock phrases. Old English poetry relied heavily on myths, traditional wisdom and on memorised family trees.
             Oral literature is not, however, confined to remote African villages. It is part of our everyday experience in Britain and includes story-telling, historical narrations, anecdotes, myths, legends, fairytales and jokes.
             Among the differences in style and language between the written and the spoken narratives we may particularly note the following. Created by the use of dialectwords and phrases, by the inclusion of the adressee, "Did you hear about what happened to me?". Secondly, B makes greater use of hiperbole. A is much less spontaneous with its traditional formulaic opening "Once upon a time" and conclusion "lived happy ever after".
             Although oral literature is a much livelier tradition in the English speaking world than most people realise.
             Looked at from a distance, poetry , drama, novel are clearly distinguishable, but on closer examination, we find similarities and overlap, continua rather than discrete genres. Shakespeare's plays , for example, overlap poetry in their ability to use language "at full stretch". At the same time they share with the novel the extended scope which allows for subtle delineation of character and careful interweaving of cause and effect. Different genres, because of their specific aims and traditions, have evolved individual methods of utilising language.
             Poetry is a genre which has traditionally been associated with phonic devices such as rhythm, all...