The Music of Language

I believe that it goes without saying that I have a passion for writing. This blog is evidence of that. However, this is not my only passion; another that I have is for music - singing, playing, and listening. I must say that I have always been rather unsure just what it is about writing that makes it so enjoyable to me, yet I think I have finally figured it out. To me, when I write, it is almost as if I am creating a piece of music! I love to learn new forms of speech and language and to form sentences, paragraphs, essays, and papers that not only communicate something of interest or value, but are also arranged in such a way as to be pleasing to the ears. I love the sound of the written word read aloud. I love to read works written in an accent. I believe this idea explains one reason why I enjoy Jane Austen's works so much; I love the sound of her works and whenever I read one of them, I walk away feeling more intelligent and genteel.

Another interest of mine that connects to these, I believe, is my love of listening to people with foreign accents. It doesn't matter what they're saying or which accent they use - I just love hearing the sound of their speech. This similarly coincides with my love of people-watching. Actions are often said to speak louder than words. In this way, I greatly enjoy watching people around me. In doing so, I often learn much about them and what they would probably say, before they have uttered a single word.

Yet, going back to the original point, I find that it is absolutely true: the written word is like music to me, as is the spoken word. Speech that is intelligent, refined, and good-natured is the most pleasing kind of music to my ears. Contrastingly, speech that is harsh, angry, or polluted in terms of its grammatical usage is the least pleasing kind of music.

In the end, it is the meaning behind the words that is most critical. One must surely be careful not to be taken in by a graceful tongue that disguises deceitful speech. However, when the content is pure, there is something truly and, dare I say, magical about hearing it communicated in a truly fine manner.

With these thoughts in mind, I realize increasingly how important it is that I trim up my own language so that it is a pleasing kind of music and not a harsh sound or a clanging bong.