Benefits of Listening to Music in a Foreign Language

Many of us know about 2 to 3 languages and cannot grasp what someone is saying in some other language. But most of us can certainly tap to the beats or like to hum in the music in languages we have no idea of.

‘’Music begins where the possibilities of language end’’

– Jean Sibelius, Finnish Composer

Whether it is English songs or Bollywood songs, here are some benefits of listening to music in a foreign language.

1. Break Cultural Barriers –

(Image- 2012-13 figures of Gangnam Style: billboard.com)

• You must’ve already seen videos where people dance to hindi songs (even if they don’t know Hindi) or make rap music just like the English-speaking people do. Remember a thing called ‘’Gangnam Style’’?

• Also, if you know some foreign artists and appreciate their work, you will be considered a well-learned person. And, to the average people, a more cultured person

• Listening music in a foreign language could even help with your career, as not many people in the world are ‘’well-cultured.’’

2. Learn a New Language –

• Have you had an experience where you listen to some catchy tune in a foreign language and then you try to sing it? Well, that’s precisely what passive listening does to your mind

• Even if we are unaware, but listening to international music can leave an impression on us and we can adopt new words to our vocabulary

3. Improve your Health –

• Music has been proven to be a stress reliever. What better way to avoid pills than visiting a music store online and playing a track of some melodious audio

• You can experience a better way of living, and that includes better sleep, reduced depression

• As we know, people suffering from insomnia need peaceful mind and body, which can be easily accessed with mp3 songs online

4. Open up to Different World Musical Styles –

• What’s common between the fact that so many young kids (not knowing a word of English) learnt to say ‘’Just Beat it… Beat it’’ and moon-walk like Michael Jackson in the India of the 90s. Or, the Western societies humming ‘’Jai Ho’’, composed by R. Rehman? Or, the whole world singing ‘’Waka Waka’’, the 2010 Fifa World Cup’s official song?

• Music has many genres and they all are somehow present in different countries of the world. And, all countries add their own flavor to them. Perhaps, you might fall in love with a genre that you currently dislike

• Or, perhaps your creative side could draw an influence from any foreign culture, and create something powerful and magical to showcase on top 10 social networking sites in India and across the world

Also Read: 5 Regional Indian Music Stars You Should Know About

5. Appreciate the Art Form –

• Like all modern arts listening to music in a foreign language has to be appreciated subjectively. It is similar to just the way one looks at a painting

• If you like some new mp3 songs, you just like them for what they are, and not what they mean. You no longer have to be disappointed by shallow lyrics or the foreign language in which they are written, but learn to appreciate the music as an individual entity

Write back in the comments about your experiences with music in foreign languages or the languages that you know very little. What makes you listen to those songs and how you have benefitted from it?

Thanks for Reading.

Source: https://sabakuch.com/blog/2017/09/01/benefits-listening-music-foreign-language/