The phrase "oral literature" is most often used to indicate the forms of expression to be found either in societies without writing or in parallel with a great tradition of written literature. In both cases a comparison, indeed an opposition, seems to be implied, at the base of which really lies a particular concept of written literature. This concept is very much at risk of being unconsciously influenced by features which belong only to the written literature of certain "great civilisations," in particular modern Western civilisation. It therefore seems necessary first to look briefly at these features before tackling the case of the Bugis where oral expression coexists with written expression; this written expression is important, but has notably distinct characteristics.

中文翻译：

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武吉士的口头与写作

“口头文学”一词最常用于表示在没有文字的社会中或与书面文学的悠久传统并行出现的表达形式。在这两种情况下，似乎都暗示着一种比较，实际上是一种对立，其基础实际上是书面文学的特定概念。这个概念极有可能在不知不觉中受到特征的影响，这些特征仅属于某些“伟大文明”，特别是现代西方文明的书面文献。因此，在处理口头表达与书面表达共存的武吉士案之前，首先有必要简要介绍一下这些功能。该书面表达很重要，但具有明显的特点。