Is Music a Language? For Sure (but here’s why)
Grab a coffee (or whatever drink you’re into). I have some thoughts on a topic and I’m keen to share them with you. So here it is:
Is music a language?
Intuitively, I think I know the answer. But is there any research for this claim and what are the compelling arguments for it or against it?
I want to unpack things. So I’ve created this post – a supportive framework to better understand music’s role in language (and vice versa). This is my thesis, based on my own passions for language, anthropology and making music.
Because again, I think I know the answer. But I’ve never actually put it under a microscope for scrutiny.
So let’s nerd out together. :]
First, What Is Language?
Language is a way of expressing and communicating ideas, emotions and information. And like music, there are many “genres” of language.
Different cultures have different languages and even the individual will express things in a uniquely individual way (based on personal experiences, interests, age, etcetera).
Language is never stagnant either. It’s constantly evolving (especially with social media and fast trends).
But the core functions of language remain, which are as follows (based on work from Roman Jakobson and Michael Halliday):
Referential – for conveying information
Regulatory – for influencing behavior
Interactional – for developing relationships
Personal – for expressing identity
Emotive – for expressing emotions
Heuristic – for learning
Imaginative – for creativity and imagination
Music and language are two creative acts that are universal. And these linguistic functions support my framework (of music being a language).
Explore more:
➤ Learn A Language (it’s for creativity)
The Role of Music In Language (+ language in music)
Language informs music. In kind, music informs language.
The two are intricately intertwined and constantly dancing and bouncing off of each other. Eventually, music tends to seep into the cultural vernacular. Just consider the amount of colloquial idioms that stem from an artist’s melodies. For example, party like it's 1999 is from Prince’s song “1999” and obviously language is the basis for most lyrics.
It’s a two-way street. You can’t talk about the role of language in music without also talking about the role of music in language.
It’s like the head and the heart. They coexist and cocreate.
What About Instrumental Music?
Does language exist without speech? Totally (IMO).
Language is not the tool or the method being used – it’s the thing itself. Put another way, braille is not a language, but a tool used for language. It’s the same when sending an email or looking at ancient cuneiform writing. And it’s the same for music too.
Language is the expression of ideas, emotions and information – words are not the only way to communicate those things.
We could stretch this topic even further and talk about art as a language. Or how about sight, like picking up on subtle cues from gestures and emotive responses?
And what about intuition? You know, that gut feeling of understanding someone or some situation without a single word being said.
Here’s the point: language is diverse and many tools can be used to achieve its goal.
So, is instrumental music also a language then? I think it is. At least, it still fits into the core functions of language.
So, Is Music A Language? (7 functions of language in music)
1. Music Is Referential (expresses information)
Language expresses and shares information. So does music.
Most songs (and musicians) have a message. The communication of that message just happens to be poetic and melodic (which is arguably better, right?).
Information is a piece of knowledge that has some purpose. How that information is communicated doesn’t matter so much as how well it’s conveyed.
For many topics, music may even transmit information more effectively than language. Or as Heinrich Heine put it:
“Where words leave off, music begins.”
2. Music Is Regulatory (influences behaviors)
Language can make commands and requests and influence behavior. But music can too.
Music instantly changes the energy of a room. It influences mood, motivation, feeling and behavior. It’s used to focus better while studying just as well as making a party an actual party.
Music also communicates information, similar to a command or a hint. The best example I can think of is in movies.
The sound design and mood of the music playing in a show or a film tells the audience how to feel, what to expect and more (aka, musical foreshadowing).
It creates expectation and influences feeling and behavior.
As another example, consider how certain types of music motivate you to exercise or get work done.
Music is always directing behavior and commanding us to get sh*t done – or to calm down and relax.
It’s pretty cool.
3. Music Is Interactional (builds relationships)
Language is a social tool that establishes and builds relationships. Music is also a social tool.
Consider the ubiquitous chant proclaimed by nearly every friend group, bestie duo and marriage out there:
“OMG, it’s our song!”
Music is social glue that connects two or more people on a deep level. It creates nostalgia and memories while solidifying a shared belief system or sentiment that a particular song evokes.
Music fills the spaces between conversations and acts as a much appreciated buffer for nearly every introvert out there.
Music is a part of every social circle, party, gettogether and event.
An artist’s music will form a social community of like-minded fans.
And elevator music was created for one reason – to fill a space with melodic (albeit boring) chit chat, so strangers don’t feel compelled to make their own small talk as they ride in a small box to important destinations.
So I rest my case. Sound is social.
Explore more:
➤ The TikTokification of Music
4. Music Is Personal (expresses identity)
Language is an expression of the self and our individual identity. And music is absolutely an expression of identity.
Who you listen to says a lot about your personality, passions, social group, beliefs and personal brand (the same way as how you speak and the words you use).
For example, I identify with genres like electronic, punk, indie, pop, acoustic-chill and international music. The bands, songs and sounds of these genres reflect my personality. They fully represent who I am and how I feel.
They inspire me.
And this is the power of music. It’s more than just notes into your ears. Music is the melodic embodiment of your identity, social group and so much more.
Your musical taste communicates a lot of information about who you are.
Explore more:
➤ What Makes Music Authentic?
5. Music Is Emotive (expresses emotion)
Language is used to express emotions. Obviously, music is too.
Arguably, music evokes and expresses emotions better than ‘normal’ language. Music has this uncanny ability to create mood and atmosphere. It’s a magician who can conjure emotion at will with its audience.
There’s something different about the emotion of melody, instruments and tones layered together (compared to words and other utterances). A message sent through music is way more emotional than just using words.
Even spoken word with some instrumental accompaniment hits harder (emotionally). Consider movies without sound – they’re way less impactful, in my opinion.
So music is a language because music is a guru at expressing emotion.
6. Music Is Heuristic (used for learning)
Language is used to learn, discover and explore. But music is useful for self-exploration, learning and discovery too.
Heuristics are mental shortcuts that allow you to make decisions quickly and remember important stuff. Language does this.
For example, asking questions to discover information is the heuristic function of language. With music, the artist often infuses messaging or purpose into a song, motivating the listener to ask questions and seek out (or discover) new insights and information.
So, music is a way to learn information. Sometimes, it’s an even better way. Adding tone, melody and rhyming schemes boosts your ability to remember something. It also helps us retain information for longer – enter nostalgia.
So music, like language, teaches us things and raises questions. It is heuristic.
7. Music Is Imaginative (represents creativity)
Language is an imaginative process. And obviously, music is a highly creative act too. This imaginative component of music is probably its most obvious function.
It takes imagination to create music. But music also creates imagination in the mind of the listener.
We can all relate to a great song taking us away. We get lost in melodies as sounds carry us away to some place where time and space don’t exist. Into the subconscious and beyond, we go!
Music is imaginative for all parties. Arguably, it has an even more imaginative function than language does. But that's a debate for another day.
Later ✌️
This post was fun to research and write about. Maybe it’s my anthropology background or my interest in studying Japanese.
But definitely, my passion for songwriting played into my nerdy interest here.
It is my thesis that music is a language. This is based on the seven main functions of language (referential, regulatory, interactional, personal, emotive, heuristic and imaginative).
The function of music exists in all of these areas – sometimes even more so than language (as with the imaginative and personal identity aspects).
So what say you? Is music a language?
