Recorded history

Written tradition called the opposite of oral tradition. Similar to the foreign word tradition is " tradition " either the handing down meant, ie the procedure of passing a text, or what has been handed, namely up to the present. Then it comes to the outcome of the tradition process to the content that is available thanks to the over delivering.

Characterization

Written tradition is regarded as particularly reliable, eg in lyrics. But the oral tradition can be reliable, such as some successes of the so-called oral history show. And by the scientific methods of textual criticism and weaknesses of the written tradition are visible.

A distinction is made between ( 1 ) the direct tradition ( primary tradition ) and ( 2 ) indirect tradition ( secondary tradition ). With ( 1 ) is called the transmission of a text by copying the entire text or large parts of it independently of other texts. From ( 2 ) is when parts of a text have been used as input in other texts and quotes are passed as part of the new text.