I only know about seven words in Spanish. Apparently I pronounce them really, really well, though.
A couple of years ago my wife and I went to one of those all-inclusive resorts in Mexico for her cousin's wedding and there were several occasions when the staff asked me if I spoke Spanish just because I said, "with ice, please," or "thank you very much" in Spanish. I don't know why, but I've always had a pretty good accent whenever I attempt to speak a foreign language. My wife marvels at my ability to discern aural minutiae like double consonants in Italian, or the varying shades of the "ch" sound in German. I never thought it was a big deal.
Apparently, there may be some connection between this seemingly superhuman capacity for foreign diction and my musical training. I just came across this study in which Stanford researchers find that playing music helps with the understanding of language. The study shows that adults who have been playing a musical instrument from age 7 or before were better able to discern minute differences in spoken syllables far better than non-musicians. One of the coolest parts of the study was that they used a type of MRI scan on the brain and found much more focused brain activity in the musicians. The implication is that there might be a connection between musical training and language acquisition.
I know that some people don’t need a reason to teach music to their kids, but I also know that some people aren’t convinced that music lessons are worth the time and expense. There are a lot of research studies out there that are beginning to shed light on the connection between musical training and intelligence that some of us have suspected for generations. There are no easy ways to make your kids smarter and more successful…but music couldn’t hurt, could it?
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