Relationship Between Music and Language

For centuries, the definition of music is keeping changing. People feel and express their own feeling through the combination of numerable notes but produce a variety of masterpieces. The function of music interests scientists a lot and is explored by folks in different aspects. To know more about it, a contrast is also made between music and other art form. The relationship between music and language is a controversial issue and it will be the topic of this article. Some scholars show the view that music is definitely a form of language for we use both to communicate and to express thoughts and feelings.

Meanwhile, others show a totally different viewpoint, they said ‘ the idea that music is anything like language is ridiculous. True, both music and language express feeling and emotion. But language, unlike music, is designed to communicate specific thoughts from one individual to another. Thoughts have words which have their own meaning; music has tones which have no means by themselves. ’ Without doubt, both point have their support. The emphasis of the present article will be on these two views. Firstly, the first voice. About the first half sentence, I hold a questioning attitude.

Review the long history of the development of music, from the a cappella in Middle Age period until the rock music in 20th century, music and language has an inseparable connection. Facing the similarities between them two, people even can’t distinguish them and come to believe that they are (almost) the same thing (Patel, 2008). We can notice that in the prospectus of 2008 Dijon conference, it indicated, ‘the similarities between those two activities are therefore not superficial: music and language could be two expressions of the same competences for human communication ( Jackendoff, 2009). In Rousseau’s theory, he thought that music was developed before the language and the latter was a subspecies. As a great philosopher, people believed that although he might have been ready to recognize that such a historical explanation was really a rhetorical device, there is also an insight there we should eventually acknowledge (Indov, 2005). That means, it exists a possibility that the containment relation between music and language can be that the former includes the latter.

Further more, if relationship in the first view comes into existence, the function the music has will also prove the values of language and people gain the skill of feeling the music after knowing the language. Obviously, it is false. Just one example can give evidence that the specific qualities the music therapy have give people chance to express themselves and communicate in a non-verbal way – even in a situation that they cannot find the word to describe their inner experiences. In other word, music is has its own characteristic that the language lacks of.

What’s more, with a variety of research and study, scientists proved that the large part of the left hemisphere of the brain controls speech function and language comprehension, while general music ability resides in the right (Helding, 2010). This denies the containment relationship between music and language in another way. A conclusion summed up by Jackendoff said that at the moment we do not have a properly laid out account of even one other capacity against which to compare language and music, so no relationship can be definite so far ( Jackendoff, 2009). However, I agree with the latter part of the first view.

Although by all accounts there is no single and intercultural universal concept defining what music might be, we cannot deny the thoughts and feeling, which are showed from those pieces of songs, are natural emotions (Nattiez, 1990). As futurities, when hear those masterpieces, naturally, we try to explore predecessors’ feelings in order to appreciate the classics in a proper and right way and it is because we believe that creatures never hide their true emotions under the notes and the melodies can give them away to let us see their inner world at that time. Some instances can be given.

When we read those musicians biographies, when author introduce the great production of a musician, it is always led by particular and rich background. Tchaikovsky, who sought for the happy and bright life in the early days of life but recognized the dark of society when got older, has a tragedy life, which can be shown in his deep voice, slow tempo and the selection of minor mode (Brown, 2006). Similarly, we can find the perseverance, bravery and optimism of Beethoven in his concerto, which give us feelings of self confident, power and euphoria (Lockwood, 2003).

Music, as a pure art form, gives human more possibilities to express themselves in an indirect way, which add more romance and poetry. In addition, as the treasure of history, for many minorities in the mainland of China, unusual music styles and instruments are still used by folks as the best way to court. The youths stand on the mountain, the man sing a folk song to show his love to his lover, the female will reply another song if she agree to accept the male’s courting. The song urround across the valley, show the wonder of music and the beauty of human’s love. And there is an ancient instrument called Jew’s harp, which is still popular in some remote area in Asia. It is placed in performer’s mouth and plucked with figures to produce notes and is the representative of those courting instruments – young men and young women play the harp in the mouth to communicate their love and be more close. Without more examples, we can get the point of the function of music.

More than being appreciated, it is a good tool to communicate with others, with the society and outside world. As one of the most ancient art forms, which can be dated back to prehistoric time, the existence of music provide us an elegant, delicate and colorful way to show our attitude and love, express our feelings and thoughts and to communicate without the gap of languages. Now, let’s turn to the second voice. It is said that music is not something like language.

However, although the evidences given above tell us that music and language are different things and the former is not a form of the latter, it doesn’t draw a distinct line between them. Truly, there are several differences between them two, such as music use rhythm in a more colorful way or the use of pitch is different (Jackdoff, 2009). However, many other familiarities also exist in other aspect. People always believe that the relationship between music and language can be called as both parallel and non-parallel.

The most obvious similarities between them two is that they both involve the production of sound, It is said that there are also seven other capacities shared with those two domains in Jackdoff’s theory,they are the requirement of substantial memory capacity for storing representations and the ability to integrate things by means of a system or rule, creativity of expectations of what is to come, the control on vocal production, the imitation of others’ vocal production, invention by individual and emotion naturally showed when using music either language (Jackdoff, 2009).

Although differences exist, those similarities show their blood relationship as two kinds of art forms. In other word, the conclusion, which talks about the impossibility of the relationship between music and language lacks of support and evidence. Then, it talks about one of differences between those two art forms. With evidences showed above, the opinion that both them two express feeling and emotion can be proved. However, it denies that music is designed to communicate specific thoughts from one individual to another. This point needs more thinking.

With the example of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky talked above, we can find that every composer buried their feelings under the melody. There is an old saying said that there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes. The same to music, every one shows his own inner world through playing and that’s why those famous performers always have their own styles, because they have their own stories and individual feelings. A master-level Chinese pianist, Yundi Li has ever said, when playing the piano, what we need is emotion instead of skill.

Playing the instruments is a special way to show individuality and personality. Only when those hidden feelings are found, the communication through melodies is completed and the performer finds his bosom friend. Just like what respected by later generations towards the story of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi, the former broke his Qin after knowing the death of the latter for he lost his bosom friend, who can understood his music and emotions. Music can be an elegant medium for people to communicate specific thoughts. Just like the language.

In the end, it is said that music has tones, which have no meaning by themselves, but thoughts have words, which have their own meanings. On the one hand, tone is made up of several notes. Single note may lack specific meaning, but when being permutated and combined, different tonality may have specific meaning. There are studies of the connection between tonality and emotion. Scholars find that 24 tonalities in music world have their own emotion colors. For example, major scale always represents bright and happiness while minor scale stands for struggles and fights.

The note itself may have no meaning, but with imagination and composing, tone will gain the ability to express thoughts with specific meaning. What’s more, on the other hand, music has many elements, such as tone, rhythm, dynamic and so on (Kamien, 2011). Tone is just one of them. If compared with words, the element of language, we can also choose other elements as well. The difference of strong and weak in dynamics may show the degree of emotion and the quick and slow rhythms, may reflect happiness or sadness. Tone is not the only aspect to judge the relationship between music and language.

So, no matter from which angle, we cannot deny music is something like language. With explanation given above, the views can be corrected to following sentences. Music and language are two forms of art, which can be used to communicate and express thoughts and feelings. Similarities are existed to show their parallel relationship and differences also existed to show their non-parallel relationship. They have their own characteristics and elements, which shouldn’t be compared to some degree and Specific thoughts can be shown from both mediums.

As human’s treasure, music and language holds the hand of each other, record those moment in history, and tell us the beauty and magic of the art. Reference: Jackendoff, R. (2009). Parallels and nonparallels between languages and music. Music Perception, 26 (3), 195-204 Patel, A. D. (2008). Music, language, and the brain. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2008. Lidov, D. (2005). Is language a music? : writings on musical form and signification. Bloomington, Ind. Indiana University Press, c2005. Helding, L. (2010).

Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences : Musical intelligence. Journal of singing. 66(3),325-330. Nattiez, J. (1990). Music and discourse : toward a semiology of music Princeton, Princeton University Press, c1990. Brown, D. (2006). Tchaikovsky : the man and his music. London. Faber and Faber, 2006. Lockwood, L. (2003). Beethoven : the music and the life. New York. W. W. Norton, c2003. Kamien, R. (2011). Music : an appreciation. New York : McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2011. http://www. pressandjournal. co. uk/Article. aspx/2390524