# Paralanguage



## mud (May 17, 2012)

"_Paralanguage_ refers to the non-verbal elements of communication used to modify meaning and convey emotion. Paralanguage may be expressed consciously or unconsciously, and it includes the pitch, volume, and, in some cases, intonation of speech. Sometimes the definition is restricted to vocally-produced sounds. The study is known as paralinguistics."

Personally, I listen to classical music for its paralanguage, whether instrumental or vocal (in which the lyrics seldom play a significant role, although I can appreciate them as poetry, etc.).

This for me distinguishes it most from other genres of music. What are your thoughts on paralanguage?


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

mud said:


> "_Paralanguage_ refers to the non-verbal elements of communication used to modify meaning and convey emotion. Paralanguage may be expressed consciously or unconsciously, and it includes the pitch, volume, and, in some cases, intonation of speech. Sometimes the definition is restricted to vocally-produced sounds. The study is known as paralinguistics."
> 
> Personally, I listen to classical music for its paralanguage, whether instrumental or vocal (in which the lyrics seldom play a significant role, although I can appreciate them as poetry, etc.).
> 
> This for me distinguishes it most from other genres of music. What are your thoughts on paralanguage?


Hmmm.

I always thought the term 'paralanguage' and 'paralinguistics' was a field of debate for proponents of the television sitcom 'The Big Bang Theory'.

When I think of music, I confess I haven't ever understood how paralanguage was applied to the language of music, which essentially, holds its form centripetally rooted in the very content of pitch; timbre; volume; accenting and other appogiatura.

Language on the other hand, like irritating mobile phone talkers squeezed up against me on a tightly packed metro train, who insist on talking at loud volumes through their earphones and gesticulating wildly with their hands flying everywhere about to poke out some poor passenger and invade everyone else's body space really test my patience. I find it hard not to accidentally slap them across the back of the head and quickly move out of the way


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I don't think of music as a "paralanguage' but simply a "language." Or, more lately, a post-Babel collection of different languages. Which is a bit of a problem, as some of us have noted. 

I think God noted Mahler's 2nd Symphony and thought, "Those upstart mortals need a lesson. Let's see, what did I do last time? Was it that tower thing? Oh Yeah..."


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

Head_case said:


> When I think of music, I confess I haven't ever understood how paralanguage was applied to the language of music, which essentially, holds its form centripetally rooted in the very content of pitch; timbre; volume; accenting and other appogiatura.


I find it relevant especially in that instruments of classical music were developed to emulate the singing voice (and that chamber music has been referred to as a musical conversation). Likewise, a cappella singers can vocalise instrumental works.

As stated further in the article: "There are no utterances or speech signals that lack paralinguistic properties, since speech requires the presence of a voice that can be modulated. This voice must have some properties, and all the properties of a voice as such are paralinguistic."

So it follows that utterances of music are paralinguistical, given their origin.






This is a little bit of both, plus a Japanese accent.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

"Music begins where words end...." Goethe

"I find it relevant especially in that instruments of classical music were developed to emulate the singing voice."

Speaking of highly synthetic instrument inventions, where does that place the Virginal / Harpsichord / Piano family? (percussion instruments all.)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

PetrB said:


> "Music begins where words end...." Goethe


Might as well say, "Words begin where music ends...." Makes just as much sense. Particularly if you agree with Stravinsky that "Music can express nothing but itself."


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

PetrB said:


> Speaking of highly synthetic instrument inventions, where does that place the Virginal / Harpsichord / Piano family? (percussion instruments all.)


They might all be considered abstractions of the voice or an abstract voice.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Relevant: http://www.classicalmusicisboring.com/archive/2012/10/cmib00528.html


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

KenOC said:


> Might as well say, "Words begin where music ends...." Makes just as much sense. Particularly if you agree with Stravinsky that "Music can express nothing but itself."


Just paraphrasing what the dude was, evidently, making a big deal about, in clear simple words as stated by Goethe and later confirmed, if you will, by Stravinsky - which you supplied.

Was actually hoping to telegraph that his fifteen minutes are up.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Kopachris said:


> Relevant: http://www.classicalmusicisboring.com/archive/2012/10/cmib00528.html


Lovely, not that the point will be understood or taken, but lovely, nonetheless. THANK YOU.


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

PetrB said:


> Just paraphrasing what the dude was, evidently, making a big deal about, in clear simple words as stated by Goethe and later confirmed, if you will, by Stravinsky - which you supplied.
> 
> Was actually hoping to telegraph that his fifteen minutes are up.
> View attachment 9488


Who, me? What does this have to do with paralanguage in music?


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

Paralinguistics was established in 1958, by the way...


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

KenOC said:


> I don't think of music as a "paralanguage' but simply a "language." Or, more lately, a post-Babel collection of different languages. Which is a bit of a problem, as some of us have noted.
> 
> I think God noted Mahler's 2nd Symphony and thought, "Those upstart mortals need a lesson. Let's see, what did I do last time? Was it that tower thing? Oh Yeah..."


I would consider it a universal language, as with music. Isn't Vivaldi being vocalised in Japan on a paralinguistic level?


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

mud said:


> I find it relevant especially in that instruments of classical music were developed to emulate the singing voice (and that chamber music has been referred to as a musical conversation). Likewise, a cappella singers can vocalise instrumental works.
> 
> As stated further in the article: "There are no utterances or speech signals that lack paralinguistic properties, since speech requires the presence of a voice that can be modulated. This voice must have some properties, and all the properties of a voice as such are paralinguistic."
> 
> So it follows that utterances of music are paralinguistical, given their origin.


I hear what you're saying, but I'm not listening.

This will follow, if utterances of music are paralinguistic; in that what I hear you say, can be ortho-auditory, or para-auditory. The orientation of your utterance, can be directed metadirectionally, paradirectionally, orthodirectionally, or polyphonically.

Ultimately, the inference, that music must be paralinguistic, because ... verbal language (after Saussure's distinction of 
'parole' as the verbal/spoken utterance' which is dialectically distinct from the written language, trades on metaphorical thinking: because language has paralinguistic properties, music should.

This level of reasoning is unsatisfactory: music, has its own logic: it is independent of speech ('parole'): it is independent of the rules of syntax and semantics: like others who have stated it clearly - music is a language. It is its own language, and no amount of fluency in English semantics, can hope to help a listener understand music. The rules of engagement are different, and although paralinguistics makes sense to the transformational grammarians, to try and invade in the field of music, using metaphors of 'pitch'; non-purposeful verbal decorations such as 'emmm...errr....ahhh' which create the personal speech of a person - it's still not a basic tenet to accept that music must have paralinguistic capabilities, anymore, than we can argue that a drum machine beating on its own, has paralinguistic potential. It has potential related to the properties of music, which communicate through the medium of music, more effectively than language often can.

That's partly why I fail to see the metaphor trading as reason, for why music should have a paralinguistic basis, just because language, which is based on linguistics does.

Does that makes sense? Or are my paralinguistics all muddied


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

PetrB posted this image:



PetrB said:


> View attachment 9488


Sorry to say that a Young Earth Creationist hit squad has been dispatched already.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Petr - I really don't understand paralinguistics lol. That post just looked like a non-sequitur. 

I'm outta here


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Head_case said:


> Petr - I really don't understand paralinguistics lol. That post just looked like a non-sequitur.
> 
> I'm outta here


The best decision for sure!


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

Head_case said:


> I hear what you're saying, but I'm not listening.


I get that a lot.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

mud said:


> I get that a lot.


I can't believe that you are surprised.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)




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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

KenOC said:


> PetrB posted this image:
> 
> Sorry to say that a Young Earth Creationist hit squad has been dispatched already.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism


I'm quaking in my (genuinely, like a legacy of five or more generations) non-sectarian pagan boots here, waiting for that well-meaning preppy smiley 'we know right' crowd, with their side-parted hair, clip on ties, and blindingly white bleached teeth, to show up at my door any moment.

Actually, the police at two a.m. this morning ringing my bell and seeking a neighbor was more worrisome, until I found she was safely at home, her kin and kith were all alright, but her car had been stolen -- and found. Nothing like some real life business to blow away the serious pretentiousness of a fatuous set up (under the pretense of discussion) relating to 'Paralinguistics.'

Hmmm Paralinguistics - isn't that a new South American dance craze?


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

PetrB said:


> Nothing like some real life business to blow away the serious pretentiousness of a fatuous set up (under the pretense of discussion) relating to 'Paralinguistics.'
> 
> Hmmm Paralinguistics - isn't that a new South American dance craze?


Not at all, I have a blog topic dedicated to it: Song and Dance, the old paralanguage and kinesics (and that dance craze would be kinesics).

If music were a science, paralinguistics would certainly play a role in its analysis. It is in fact studied for its effect in music therapy. So, you are simply mocking that which you do not understand...


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