Knowra Spoken word Spoken word Spoken word is the performance of written or improvised language aloud without ordinary melodic singing. It often uses poetic language, rhythm, and vocal expression.
Prosody : The patterns of stress, pitch, rhythm, and intonation in speech. Changes in stress and intonation give spoken-word lines expressive shape.
Oral tradition : The transmission of stories, knowledge, and cultural practices through speech and performance. Spoken word continues traditions that carry language through live voices.
Performance poetry : Poetry composed or presented with performance as a central part of its form. Spoken word is a recognizable form within performance poetry.
Rap : A vocal art form that delivers rhythmic, rhyming language, commonly over a beat. Rap often uses musical accompaniment and meter, while spoken word need not.
Freestyle rap : Rap composed or adapted spontaneously during performance. Its improvised verbal flow shows how spoken performance can be created in the moment.
Beat poetry : A mid-twentieth-century literary movement associated with spontaneous, jazz-influenced poetry and performance. Beat poets helped establish modern models of poetry performed aloud.
Slam poetry : Poetry written for performance in poetry slams, often using direct address and rhythmic language. This style is closely associated with spoken-word events and competitions.
Singing : The production of musical tones with the voice. Spoken word is distinguished by speech-like delivery rather than ordinary melodic singing.
Call and response : A performance pattern in which one voice or group answers another. Audience replies can make spoken-word performance a shared exchange.
Last Poets : An African American poetry and music collective formed in New York in 1968. Their politically charged performances influenced later spoken word and hip-hop.
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