Music and Language: A Developmental Comparison

Abstract

The possible links between music and language continue to intrigue scientists interested in the nature of these two types of knowledge, their evolution, and their instantiation in the brain. Here we consider music and language from a developmental perspective, focusing on the degree to which similar mechanisms of learning and memory might subserve the acquisition of knowledge in these two domains. In particular, it seems possible that while adult musical and linguistic processes are modularized to some extent as separate entities, there may be similar developmental underpinnings in both domains, suggesting that modularity is emergent rather than present at the beginning of life. Directions for future research are considered.