If the rainbow had 122 shades, each shade had a variety of sub-shades, and few among the shades were better recognised than the other, then the rainbow could well imitate the Indian language.

With 122 spoken varieties, more than 19,500 dialects, and 22 recognised by the constitution, the Indian language is a rainbow that could glitter in the darkest sky.

Why learn a new Indian language:

Learning a new Indian language brings one closer to India. It endears one to India’s culture and region. Besides, it is largely believed that learning a new language keeps the brain agile and helps prevents the occurrence of dementia or other mental ailments at an advanced age.

What is the importance of music while learning a new Indian language?

Let me share a fun personal experience first. My first job took me to Pune, Maharashtra. We were a batch of hundred new joiners undergoing training. A friend of mine from Rajasthan was head over heels in love with one of our Maharashtrian lady batch mates. But my lovestruck friend was finding the road bumpy.

Sometimes courage let him down, and sometimes the language barrier failed him (the love interest was from an orthodox Maharashtrian family).

He attempted to learn Marathi and his initial forays met with ridicule. His pronunciation and diction were all over the place. He was, however, a decent guitarist and had a knack for music.

The new joiner’s welcome celebration was round the corner, and he practiced diligently and performed a very romantic Marathi song to the delight of the audience and the surprise of many!

What happened next?

His prospect in Marathi drastically improved, and soon the matters of heart saw the light of the day!

Both my training batchmates are married for a long time now.

Surprisingly, a few of my Maharashtrian colleagues, who were audience to my friend’s performance that night, exclaimed in amazement: ‘There was no way we could have imagined that the singer was not a Marathi speaker- his pronunciation, diction, and the feeling were all about in place!”

It must have something to do with music then.

🎶Music begins where language ends🎵 - the adage never sounded truer.

Possibly, as the research would also corroborate, the tone and rhythm which accompanies a song endear the performer with the language and he derives and emotes exactly how it is meant to be.

How music can help in learning a new Indian language:

🎵 Music is a stimulant for the brain and mood: The words or lyrics which is accompanied by the tone and rhythm of the music are much better processed and retained

🎵 Listening to songs of a new language: While we hum the lyrics of a song, we endeavour to absorb the exact sound and tone, and thus we improve on the pronunciation as we rid ourselves of our native language or mother tongue's influence

🎵 Music helps in enhancing our memory: Are we not acquainted with the fact that lullabies are hummed on the soft ears of a child introducing the alphabets of a language even before the little life had learned to speak? 

🎵 Music helps us in enriching our vocabulary of a new language. The lyrics of songs are generally high on the language and terminology quotient, and music so easily finds a way to our heart and soul that its contents remain deep-seated in us

🎵 A child exposed to musical instruments early in life is known to pick up language more flawlessly and seamlessly than the rest. RUDN University linguists confirmed the same in their report Thinking Skills and Creativity. Nadine Gaab, an alumnus of Stanford University, while presenting her findings at Neuroscience’s annual meeting in Washington DC, claimed that people with musical experience found it easier than the rest to detect small differences in word syllables.

#songtime Language and music are indeed a heady mix!

Music is the language of the heart,

Such a sublime form of art!

Transcending the brain to reach the soul,

enthralls us to achieve its goal.

 

Yes, people communicate through a language,

written or verbal - both are in usage,

It binds us together in a strong bond,

As messages are seamlessly passed along.

 

Music helps in the development of the brain,

Tune and rhythm help us retain-

The intricacies of the language in place,

Thus, music helps learn a language with grace.

 

Are we on the language learning path?

And are we looking to make a start?

Indian Language could be learned online for free,

Install Language Curry and begin with glee! 🎵