Tellings

Tellings, the plural of telling, refers to instances of narration or recounting. In many disciplines, tellings are analyzed as acts of communication, where speakers or narrators convey information, memory, or meaning through spoken or written discourse.

In oral tradition and folklore, tellings are central units of transmission. They may be shared in community gatherings, ceremonies, or casual recitation, often shaping identity, values, and historical memory. Variants of a tale can be reinterpreted across generations, producing regional tellings.

In literary studies, tellings are examined as narrative devices. Analysts may study who performs the telling, the reliability of the narrator, focalization, and how the act of telling shapes readers' interpretation. The same story can produce multiple tellings within a single text through frame narratives or embedded stories.

In anthropology and oral history, tellings are data collected from interviews and life histories. Researchers attend to conversational style, memory, and context, while addressing ethical considerations such as consent, representation, and potential bias in interpretation.

See also: storytelling, narrative theory, oral history, discourse analysis.