An empirical investigation of the association between musical aptitude and foreign language aptitude

Abstract

Given the joint ubiquity of music and language, and pre-theoretic similarities between the two, it is relevant to consider the relationship between musical ability and linguistic ability, specifically in relation to second language acquisition. The specific question of musical aptitude and its relationship to foreign language aptitude is the central focus of this thesis. In Chapter 2, the dissertation reviews classical and recent research on individual differences, in particular those individual differences which are known to have a major impact on the second language learning process. This review reveals a complex relationship between language aptitude, intelligence and working memory. Chapter 3 examines the relationship between music and other cognitive abilities, focussing primarily on the relationship between music and language ability. This suggests that further analysis of the music-language relationship is indeed justified. From the analysis of past research reported in Chapters 2 and 3, open questions emerge about two important issues: the extent to which music and language aptitude are related, and the extent to which that relationship is mediated by general intelligence. Empirical investigations are carried out to investigate these issues quantitatively and qualitatively.