by Becky Holton
In order to learn a new language people seek out various techniques that would help them remember the phrases easier or improve their pronunciation. We hear often that the music is the universal language but we can also use it to improve our language skills.
A study conducted at the University of Edinburgh showed that adults that sang the foreign phrases to a certain music or tune mastered the foreign language twice as faster than those that didn't use this learning technique. In support of these findings, there is the fact that most people learned the alphabet through the famous alphabet song. Therefore, it would be a wise strategy to practice new phrases by singing them out loud to a familiar tune, just make sure that the number of syllables within the phrases matches the song.
There is an interesting story published by Guardian that speaks of Jonross Swaby who managed to improve his pronunciation and accent through singing. Jonross was learning Portuguese for a while and was pretty sure that he was fluent. When he traveled to Brazil for the first time, he saw that his accent and pronunciation was all but excellent. He decided to spend more time listening to their local music and sing the lyrics as best as he could. Eventually, he and the rest of his Brazilian hosts realized that his Portuguese had improved significantly.
Simply put, speaking a language is the best way to learn it. Singing is just an upgraded version of speaking, so it doesn't matter if you can't carry a tune while you try to sing some song in a foreign language. Try to hit the words and pronunciation correctly, and even if you don't get it from the start, you'll notice how repetition helps to work through any issues. Our brains are designed to learn faster through music, according to studies.
It's not uncommon for people to remember the lyrics of a certain song without any knowledge of the meaning of the words. Simply because those phrases are backed up by a catchy melody our brain memorizes them. This ability could be put to use by singing in a foreign language while having the translation of the lyrics in front of you. This way you can practice your pronunciation and expand your vocabulary at the same time. It will take some time before you're good enough to become an editor but it will put you on the right track.
Karaoke parties are also a good opportunity to use music in order to have fun, impress your friends with your singing abilities, and practice your language skills. There are so many hits in various different languages that are known all over the world that you can use to raise the atmosphere and your language technique.
There is a lot of people that do covers of popular hits but in different languages. Recently, a popular song "Despacito” made an international breakthrough and people from all over the world translated the lyrics to their native languages. So if a Spanish speaking person wants to learn some Swedish, that person would have to launch YouTube and find a Swedish “Despacito" cover song. The knowledge of the original lyrics can help to adopt new phrases, improve pronunciation, and clear the dilemma whether or not Swedish can sound hot in a song.
Speaking more than one language enhances your personal and professional value. It can help you meet new people, acquire business contacts, and understand what the cabby is talking about you. Since music is everywhere around us, our mind can process the information that we import through music much easier. Therefore, it is wise to use music in any way that would help you expedite your learning process. It can be both fun and valuable experience even if you're not fully dedicated to mastering a certain language.
Becky Holton is a journalist and a blogger at ProEssayWriting. She is interested in education technologies and is always ready to support informative speaking. Follow her on Twitter.
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