口述史学的英文是Oral History,或称 History by word of Mouth。在中国,口述史学又被称为口碑史学或口头史学。目前国际学术界普遍认为,现代意义上的口述史学产生于20世纪40年代,1948年美国历史学家艾伦·内文斯教授在哥伦比亚大学创立了口述史研究室。口述历史研究室的成立, 标志着口述史学进入了一个全新的发展阶 Oral history in English is Oral History, or History by word of Mouth. In China, oral history is also known as word of mouth history or oral history. At present, the international academic community generally believes that the modern sense of oral history originated in the 1940s. In 1948, American historian Alan Nevins founded the Oral History Laboratory at Columbia University. Oral history of the establishment of the laboratory, marking the history of oral history has entered a new level of development