Music and Language Perception - Part 1 Commonalities

The functional similarities as well as the differences between the two domains of music and language have been topics of discussion among researchers for quite some time. The similarities between the two are seemingly obvious. Both share a hierarchical and temporal structure. Both share a syntax (although the perception of syntax is not as explicit in the case of music as it is for language...in addition to being subjective to each listener depending on his or her level of training and exposure). Time is critical to the perception and recognition of both spoken words as well as melodies.

Given these similarities, cognitive researchers have been tempted to believe that perception and recognition of both melodies as well as spoken words involve the same functional processes: the need for working memory to temporarily store sequential information and consolidate this information into a higher-order percept, the need for long term memory to influence perception through top-down contextual feedback, and a mechanism that enables the integration of these two processes.

In addition, both music and language share the same neural correlates for subcortical processing (from the outer ear upto the thalamus and in some cases upto the primary auditory cortex). They also share the same neural correlates for a large amount of cortical processing that includes areas such as the primary and secondary auditory cortices and perisylvian language areas (Broca's area and Wernicke's area). Also, musical syntax-based violations (both in melodic and in harmonic contexts) show activation of areas associated with syntax violations in language.