Comments on: Music and speech http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/ language-related musings - one language is never enough / no n'hi ha prou amb una llengua Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:55:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: jake http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-58415 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:20:15 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-58415 I think it would neat if they compared the speech sounds of several different languages to the music of that region. Gealic, especially, is known to lend itself to a very rich, full sound while the "twang" of the Southern American States has given us the nasality of country music. I think it would neat if they compared the speech sounds of several different languages to the music of that region. Gealic, especially, is known to lend itself to a very rich, full sound while the “twang” of the Southern American States has given us the nasality of country music.

]]> by: Kevin http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48642 Wed, 30 May 2007 17:46:54 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48642 Music is already very mathematical in that sound waves must conform to the laws of physics relating to frequencies. There are natural patterns and intervals so it's equally possible that both singing and speech just follow the same laws of physics. Music is already very mathematical in that sound waves must conform to the laws of physics relating to frequencies. There are natural patterns and intervals so it’s equally possible that both singing and speech just follow the same laws of physics.

]]> by: Paul http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48602 Wed, 30 May 2007 10:35:05 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48602 But where might this leave pentatonic scales, or microtonal systems such as Slendro (Indonesian)? I'd always rather assumed that, especially since the rise of just intonation, the 12-note system was rather divorced from the natural order. But where might this leave pentatonic scales, or microtonal systems such as Slendro (Indonesian)? I’d always rather assumed that, especially since the rise of just intonation, the 12-note system was rather divorced from the natural order.

]]> by: Polly http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48558 Wed, 30 May 2007 00:32:22 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48558 Fascinating. I don't know if this really means singing came first. I don't hear a lot of operatic apes. :) I wonder how much tonality we use in English. For instance, a question definitely requires a rise in tone at the end of the statement. Do tonal languages use tones in this manner? Can they do so without "mixing up" the words? Can a person's speech be "flat" not in the sense of toneless, but in the wrong key? Fascinating. I don’t know if this really means singing came first. I don’t hear a lot of operatic apes. :)

I wonder how much tonality we use in English. For instance, a question definitely requires a rise in tone at the end of the statement. Do tonal languages use tones in this manner? Can they do so without “mixing up” the words? Can a person’s speech be “flat” not in the sense of toneless, but in the wrong key?

]]> by: Joseph Staleknight http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48556 Wed, 30 May 2007 00:20:22 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48556 Interesting. I wonder if the Swedes already know of this.... Interesting. I wonder if the Swedes already know of this….

]]> by: Aeneas http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48532 Tue, 29 May 2007 19:48:49 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48532 Interesting theory. It's all the more plausible when you consider ancient Greek, where most linguists agree that the accent marks actually represented different tones in the spoken language, before the classical age. Interesting theory. It’s all the more plausible when you consider ancient Greek, where most linguists agree that the accent marks actually represented different tones in the spoken language, before the classical age.

]]> by: jdotjdot89 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48530 Tue, 29 May 2007 19:36:59 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/05/29/music-and-speech/#comment-48530 That's fascinating... it could also help explain the development of tonal words in certain languages, such as Chinese. Actually, if this turns out to be true, it would be just the opposite--languages would have started out completely tonal, and then most modern languages (particularly non-Asain ones) lost their tonal qualities. That’s fascinating… it could also help explain the development of tonal words in certain languages, such as Chinese. Actually, if this turns out to be true, it would be just the opposite–languages would have started out completely tonal, and then most modern languages (particularly non-Asain ones) lost their tonal qualities.

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