Tonal Languages And Musical Ability Are A Good Mix

Scientists have shown in a research study that people who speak languages, have a greater ability to learn music than those who do not. In particular, those who speak tonal languages such as Cantonese and Thai, have a much better ear for learning music.

It is thought that these languages resemble music due to their pitch and tonal patterns. Cantonese has six different tones which change the meaning of words and it is thought that its pitch and tonal patterns, help to enhance musical learning. However, not all tonal languages are thought to enhance musical ability. Languages such as Chinese Mandarin for instance, has not shown much musical benefits as this language has more curved tones.

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