oral tradition

noun

1. a community's cultural and historical traditions passed down by word of mouth or example from one generation to another without written instruction.

Example Sentences

Landays may be read, but true to their roots in oral tradition, they are frequently sung, sometimes with a drum for accompaniment.

From The Daily Beast

That oral tradition of communication then gave way to the second voice, the written word with its enormous range.

From The Daily Beast

Their literature, if the contradiction be permitted, was handed down like their history, by oral tradition.

From Project Gutenberg

All religion being reduced, so far as they are concerned, to oral tradition, the devotion of each is in proportion to his memory.

From Project Gutenberg

This is a catalogue of German songs that have been heard in oral tradition but can be traced back to known authors.

From Project Gutenberg

This was, likely, secretly taught by word of mouth as Qabbalah or Oral Tradition to the initiates, and was never put into writing.

From Project Gutenberg

Where neither written evidence nor oral tradition exist there can be little question of historic order.

From Project Gutenberg