preliterateadj.n.
/ˌpriːˈlɪt(ə)rət/, U.S. /priˈlɪdərət/ A. adj.
1. Chiefly Social Sciences. Of an individual, social group, or culture: having no written language; living before the development of writing. Cf. non-literate adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > want of knowledge, ignorance > want of learning, illiteracy > [adjective] > at cultural stage
preliterate1923
non-literate1948
1923 Amer. Jrnl. Sociol. 29 113 The study of the pre-literate peoples of America.
1933 A. R. Radcliffe-Brown in Encycl. Social Sci. IX. 202/1 The confusion which has resulted in the attempt to apply to preliterate societies the modern distinction between criminal law and civil law can be avoided.
1957 Antiquity 31 211 Rubbish deposited in superimposed layers by preliterate men.
1993 Bluenose (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Mar.–Apr. 54/1 For infants, and preliterate peoples less bound by the sense of sight, the body is the vast zone of sensation.
2. Of a child: at a stage of development before the acquisition of literacy; of or relating to this developmental stage.
ΚΠ
1938 Public Opinion Q. 2 688/2 If Arnold rewrites the Symbols for the gallery, the Yale Press may one day sponsor an edition for preliterate children and non-literate adults.
1960 Psychol. Bull. 57 524 (table) Verbal comprehension. 5 years. ‘Preliterate’ items: recognition of own name; address; meaning of common signs, symbols, numbers at ‘readiness’ level.
1988 Early Childhood Res. Q. 3 ii. 193 This case study is a report of one preliterate child's retelling of a story.
2004 Sacramento (Calif.) Bee (Nexis) 15 July g1 The woman..left an anonymous phone message, saying her preliterate 3-year-old..could write a better column than mine.
B. n.
Chiefly Social Sciences. A person who is not yet literate; spec. a member of a preliterate society or culture. Cf. non-literate n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > want of knowledge, ignorance > want of learning, illiteracy > [noun] > stage in culture > person at
preliterate1925
non-literate1939
1925 E. Faris in Amer. Jrnl. Sociol. 30 712 Pre-literates do not have cities.
1946 Sci. Monthly June 565/1 A social problem of contacts between two races and the impact of ‘superior’ Western culture on the life-way of preliterates.
1969 M. McLuhan Let. 13 Oct. (1987) 390 As with all preliterates, the world presents itself visually to them, close up to their faces.
1987 Mod. Lang. Jrnl. 71 439/1 A little information about working with Cubans and Haitians can be gained from Cole's article on ESL instruction for pre-literates.
1992 Jrnl. Relig. 72 630 Not only does it distinguish vowel tones from consonants and abstract tones from vowels—exceptional feats for a preliterate—but I makes a direct leap from preliteracy to an alphabet.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1923