The Human Spirit Speaks Through Song: Exploring the application of the theory of linguistic relativity to music

Abstract

Music and language are essential facets of the human experience, and are unique in being ubiquitous throughout cultures. This study is an introduction to the application of linguistic relativity, which states that a language and a culture are mutually reflective and mutually generative, to the relationship between music and culture. Since both music and language are communicative devices, and often affect one another, this study compares and contrasts these two cultural products.