Abstract

This dissertation offers an interdisciplinary argument in favour of integrating em-pirically grounded musicological evidence into linguistic curricula. Phonological, syntactic, and neurological convergences between music and language are identi-fied and supported by existing research. However, differences in semantic content and the deliberateness ascribed to a musical or linguistic event inhibit the extent to which a music-language comparison can advance without qualification. In order to create a forum appropriate for the breadth of this discussion, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment presents a unique music-linguistic phenomenon, suggesting that the major and minor modes in music are non-arbitrarily associ-ated with certain linguistic stimuli (kiki and bouba, respectively) in accord with their phonetic characteristics (e.g. vowel and consonant quality). This topic is con-sidered in the light of evidence from synaesthesia and sound symbolism. Having endeavoured to show the relevance of a joint discussion on music and language, the second experiment explores the level of accord within the linguistic and musical academic communities (university students and teachers/researchers) on salient themes relative to such a discussion. A questionnaire form was administered, with results indicating that an insufficient amount of interdisciplinary agreement exists to facilitate a productive exchange and evaluation of ideas. Interdisciplinary topics and epistemological implications are discussed.

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