1. plural of orature; oral traditions, narratives, and cultural expressions transmitted through spoken word rather than written text.
Usage: academic/literary term; often used in postcolonial studies and African literature

Examples

• African oratures preserve the histories and wisdom of communities through storytelling.
• The scholar studied the oratures of indigenous peoples to understand their cultural values.
• Griots maintain West African oratures through generations of memorized epic narratives.
• Oratures often include proverbs, songs, and folktales passed down orally.
• The university course examined how oratures differ from written literature in structure and function.