{"id":7751,"date":"2020-01-28T09:45:16","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T14:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/?p=7751"},"modified":"2020-10-01T11:47:29","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T15:47:29","slug":"music-and-song-enhances-the-language-learning-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/2020\/01\/28\/music-and-song-enhances-the-language-learning-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Music and Song Enhances the Language Learning Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image Courtesy of Pixabay, CCO<\/p><\/div>\n

Music\u202fis something everyone can relate to, but it can be hard to find songs you love in a new language.\u202fTo this end,\u202fTransparent Language has\u202fcreated a\u202f<\/span>Spotify<\/span><\/a>\u202faccount, on which we\u2019ll share music lists in languages as diverse as Swedish, Arabic, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and more.<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Will these playlists be useful even if you don’t speak the language?\u202f Of course!\u202fIt is entirely possible to enjoy songs from different countries without understanding the language you are listening to. In fact, it\u2019s quite common.\u202fMillions of people\u202fbecome\u202ffans of\u202fEnrique Iglesias, Luciano Pavarotti, and\u202fJohnny\u202f<\/span>Hallyday<\/span>\u202fwithout having the slightest idea of the actual meaning of the lyrics they’re singing.\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A song by\u00a0<\/span>Taylor Swift<\/span><\/a>\u00a0topped the charts in China last year with over a million hits in a week<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0It is inconceivable that everyone singing along to that song<\/span>\u00a0during her November 2019 concert<\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span>Guangzhou<\/span>\u00a0spoke English.\u00a0<\/span>Still,\u00a0<\/span>as they s<\/span>a<\/span>ng her songs, they bec<\/span>a<\/span>me acquainted with English terms like\u00a0<\/span>magnetic force<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0<\/span>running scared<\/span><\/i>, and\u00a0<\/span>roll the dice<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t textbook learning, and some may argue that it isn\u2019t learning at all, b<\/span>ut<\/span>\u202faccording to a\u202f2014 study published in\u202f<\/span>Memory & Cognition,<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0those young Swift fans who later elect to study English will have a significant advantage over their Chinese\u00a0<\/span>counterparts<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>In the study, sixty adults completed different \u201clisten-and-repeat\u201d drills on an unfamiliar language. The participants who listened to song snippets in the language performed far better than those who simply heard the language spoken, indicating that listening and singing along to songs, even if the words are unfamiliar,\u00a0<\/span>aids<\/span>\u00a0memorization.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The benefits of music appreciation for language learners isn\u2019t limited to popular songs.\u00a0<\/span>Language and music share the\u00a0<\/span>disciplines required to recognize nuances in timing, timbre, and pitch.\u00a0<\/span>Music instruction\u00a0<\/span>improves language processing skills, and vice-versa.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Research has\u00a0<\/span>shown<\/span>\u00a0that musicians are ideal candidates for multi-lingual studies. Studying<\/span>\u00a0musical<\/span>\u00a0pitch and rhythm leads to greater dexterity in identifying sound patterns<\/span>\u00a0in languages<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Similarly, speakers of tonal languages are more adept at distinguishing musical pitch and are, in fact, more likely to have that ideal musical skill of perfect pitch.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At Transparent Language, our language and culture blogs have long championed\u00a0<\/span>the music and songs of many cultures. We think that songs are a great way to help learn a language. Reading lyrics in the native language alongside their translat<\/span>ions expands vocabulary. Learning about various singers and their backgrounds, as well as experiencing many different styles of music, support a deeper appreciation for the values of the people who speak the language being studied.<\/span>\u00a0Whether it\u2019s a historic folk or choral piece, a searing protest anthem, or an infectious dance tune, all music is a re<\/span>flection of the culture from which it sprouted.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Music<\/span>, quite simply, broadens our understanding of\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We know that music is something that<\/span>\u00a0inspires deep\u00a0<\/span>passions across all spectrums of society<\/span>. We all have our favorites<\/span>,<\/span> and many of us enjoy spreading the excitement of finding a new artist. Music is also a serious tool for expanding linguistic apprecia<\/span>tion and learning.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are currently 15 languages\u202fon\u00a0<\/span>our Spotify channel<\/span><\/a>\u202fwith more planned for the near future.\u202fWe will\u202fcontinue to\u202fexpand these playlists periodically.\u202fCome join the fun, discover something unexpected, and please send us your personal favorites.\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Music\u202fis something everyone can relate to, but it can be hard to find songs you love in a new language.\u202fTo this end,\u202fTransparent Language has\u202fcreated a\u202fSpotify\u202faccount, on which we\u2019ll share music lists in languages as diverse as Swedish, Arabic, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and more.\u202f\u00a0 Will these playlists be useful even if you don’t speak the language?\u202f…<\/p>\n

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