Primary issues with secondary orality

This article examines two of Walter Ong’s signature concepts in culture and communication theory: secondary orality and residual orality. The author argues that these two concepts, as deployed today by many scholars in discussions of electronic and digital media, are highly problematic. Stemming from the author’s study of a particular region and contingent of humankind that was not on Ong’s cultural radar, the article attempts to demonstrate why scholars need to reflect further on these definitional models and argues for a more supple comprehension and application of the terms.