Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to music?

[lrkun]

When I read, I have this weird habit of listening to the syllables in a way that to me it is similar to a note from a musical piece. Do you do the same? For example, the word science has two syllables, therefore it represents two notes, and a paragraph is likened to a composition or song which evokes an image or story.

Weird huh? I hope it is normal hehe.

 

[nasher168]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I can't say I do that. But I sort of understand it.
I do something a little weird though with music I suppose. If it's a piece of music without words, or I just don't know the words I'll often replace the sounds with meaningless syllables. For example, one tune I can think of off the top of my head might go:

Tellos an teh heh nemmo tah
Tellos an teh he nerro heh
Tellos eh dahla nerroh nah
Kalla fee to leh nemmorrah

 

[lrkun]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I can't say I do that. But I sort of understand it.
I do something a little weird though with music I suppose. If it's a piece of music without words, or I just don't know the words I'll often replace the sounds with meaningless syllables. For example, one tune I can think of off the top of my head might go:

Tellos an teh heh nemmo tah
Tellos an teh he nerro heh
Tellos eh dahla nerroh nah
Kalla fee to leh nemmorrah

It sounds like an ancient tribal chant from an age long forgotten. ^-^

 

[Inferno]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

No, not at all. I mean, both get me into a trance-like state, but that's about it. When I read, I often don't listen to what people say, so they may be speaking to me but everything passes through me. The same happens when I'm listening to music, though much less so. (Possibly because I'm already focusing on my ears?)
When I listen to music, I analyze the piece. (That's what too much music education does to you. ) When I listen to a song the first time, I don't like it. It gets saved in my memory though, so at some random point (usually at night) I'll remember the song and want to hear it, because Ive just realized how great it is.
When I read, I can feel the front part (frontal lobes I guess?) tingling. When reading fantasy, I then make a movie in my head. If it's science, I then try to cross-check with everything I've heard about related subjects. (This usually leaves me staring at one sentence for an hour, while I try [don't succeed, mind you] to check it against everything I know. That's why I get through a fantasy book in a few hours, but if I'm into the science book I'm reading, it might take me days. If it's a science book I don't like, that doesn't interest me or where I just soak up the facts, never mind the cross-checking, it takes me as long as a fantasy book.)

 

[lrkun]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

No, not at all. I mean, both get me into a trance-like state, but that's about it. When I read, I often don't listen to what people say, so they may be speaking to me but everything passes through me. The same happens when I'm listening to music, though much less so. (Possibly because I'm already focusing on my ears?)
When I listen to music, I analyze the piece. (That's what too much music education does to you. ) When I listen to a song the first time, I don't like it. It gets saved in my memory though, so at some random point (usually at night) I'll remember the song and want to hear it, because Ive just realized how great it is.
When I read, I can feel the front part (frontal lobes I guess?) tingling. When reading fantasy, I then make a movie in my head. If it's science, I then try to cross-check with everything I've heard about related subjects. (This usually leaves me staring at one sentence for an hour, while I try [don't succeed, mind you] to check it against everything I know. That's why I get through a fantasy book in a few hours, but if I'm into the science book I'm reading, it might take me days. If it's a science book I don't like, that doesn't interest me or where I just soak up the facts, never mind the cross-checking, it takes me as long as a fantasy book.)

I see. You have a methodical way of reading. If I like a novel, I tend to read the story very very slowly. If I don't like a novel, I don't finish the story and I give the book away hehe. I suppose, it because I tend to spend a lot of time listening to the syllables. :/

^^, So, to you, the analogy that the sound a word makes is similar to a note does not apply?

 

[Andiferous]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I'd say yes, because they evoke a sort of "trance-like" state as mentioned before, they evoke memories, sentiment and emotions, and I tend to think this is the same sort of appeal that distinguishes artistic disciplines from most others. You can get lost in any of them and sometimes attain a dream-like state or even a 'high' from them.

Sound and rhythm are things slightly different from comprehension, though. Many languages have a bit of a musical 'intonation' that affects meaning and reception - rather at the heart of poetry and lyric. But one can't assume everyone 'hears' when reading silently. I rarely 'hear' things when reading to myself, but am more like to make pictures in my head. Our brains all work differently so we can't assume we all fall into the same category. I assume there are different types of comprehension; like visual, lingual, or auditory type thinking. I do know that I tend to perceive differently than some others do.

I can't ever put a book I like down like a terribly addictive drug. I also sometimes get trapped in aliteration when writing - but then, I sometimes speak aloud when writing.

If you specified speaking from reading, my answer may be different.

 

[Gnug215]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

When I read, I have this weird habit of listening to the syllables in a way that to me it is similar to a note from a musical piece. Do you do the same? For example, the word science has two syllables, therefore it represents two notes, and a paragraph is likened to a composition or song which evokes an image or story.

Weird huh? I hope it is normal hehe.

It's quite separate for me, I'd say.

I suppose one piece of evidence for that is that I can listen to music and read at the same time - while I can't read two things at the same time.

 

[Andiferous]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

Suppose we'd have to distinguish between the fun and unfun, the fiction and non. One's more of an arty process and one is a learning one...

 

[lrkun]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I'd say yes, because they evoke a sort of "trance-like" state as mentioned before, they evoke memories, sentiment and emotions, and I tend to think this is the same sort of appeal that distinguishes artistic disciplines from most others. You can get lost in any of them and sometimes attain a dream-like state or even a 'high' from them.

Sound and rhythm are things slightly different from comprehension, though. Many languages have a bit of a musical 'intonation' that affects meaning and reception - rather at the heart of poetry and lyric. But one can't assume everyone 'hears' when reading silently. I rarely 'hear' things when reading to myself, but am more like to make pictures in my head. Our brains all work differently so we can't assume we all fall into the same category. I assume there are different types of comprehension; like visual, lingual, or auditory type thinking. I do know that I tend to perceive differently than some others do.

I can't ever put a book I like down like a terribly addictive drug. I also sometimes get trapped in aliteration when writing - but then, I sometimes speak aloud when writing.

If you specified speaking from reading, my answer may be different.

I suppose it is because I like to memorize what I read and the pattern from the syllables act like a music piece so it is easier to remember as well as picture out like a story. :3 It's like looking at a word and that word makes a sound as well as makes me recall an image which represents such sound.

It's quite separate for me, I'd say.

I suppose one piece of evidence for that is that I can listen to music and read at the same time - while I can't read two things at the same time.

I see, ^-^ incidentally, I can read and listen to music at the same time too, but I still hear the syllables when I look at a word. Hmmm... makes me wonder if I just like vocalize the syllables.

 

[Andiferous]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

Yeah.

My language and auditory memory is very sketchy at best, but I have an amazing visual and experiencial memory. And then thinking of conditions like synethesia (which is really cool!) reminds me that our brains are all very unique. In some the two may be closer related than others...

 

[lrkun]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

Yeah.

My language and auditory memory is very sketchy at best, but I have an amazing visual and experiencial memory. And then thinking of conditions like synethesia (which is really cool!) reminds me that our brains are all very unique. In some the two may be closer related than others...

^,^ I'm not gifted with synesthesia, therefore I often have troubles with remembering things. Y.Y

Anyway, to describe what I do:

Supposing the text goes like this.

Only a foolish person disregards the past.

I'd read the first word and listen to the vocalization in my mind, I'd pay attention to the syllables because, likened to notes, it produces it's own sort of music. The music has a pattern so I pay attention to such, then the second word then the third and so on and so forth, it takes time but when I've read it like that, I remember the pattern and the words. Hehe, just a piano piece.

 

[Andiferous]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I don't know about synethesia myself, but I've been dogged with spelling my whole life for some lack of ability to remember language and symbol things. But my thoughts usually take the form of images and build themselves in my head, making ridiculous trees of connections, and requiring translation in explanation to normal language. They can resemble a huge house of lego...

I'd love to think with music, sounds wonderful, and you should be very talented.

 

[Inferno]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

^^, So, to you, the analogy that the sound a word makes is similar to a note does not apply?

No, not at all. I mean, both get me into a trance-like state, but that's about it.

 

[lrkun]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I don't know about synethesia myself, but I've been dogged with spelling my whole life for some lack of ability to remember language and symbol things. But my thoughts usually take the form of images and build themselves in my head, making ridiculous trees of connections, and requiring translation in explanation to normal language. They can resemble a huge house of lego...

I'd love to think with music, sounds wonderful, and you should be very talented.

^-^ Likened to the image of the mythical tree of knowledge.

Anyway, I'm not talented, just a simple amoeba.

 

[obsidianavenger]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

i don't even notice the syllables of words when i am reading. i just.... swallow the meaning whole... i guess >.>

it does totally help if you're trying to memorize something though. even if you forget the actually content, the sound will stay with you longer. putting it to a silly tune helps the most. for some reason those can be recalled from the murky depths of memory long after the words have been forgotten...

 

[nasher168]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I have mild synaesthesia. I don't exactly see numbers as colours, but I do strongly associate them no matter what else is going on. Ironic, really, since I'm also partially colourblind.
For example,
1 =darkish green
2 =blue
3 =light green
4 =red
5 ="deep" yellow
6 =yellow again, but sort of paler, less distinct than 5
7 =lightish brown
8 =dark/blood red
9 =grey, almost black
10 =????? indescribable, maybe sort of dark greyish, but also slightly green
11 =lighter grey
12 =purple

etc

I can see the pattern in this picture without effort, but the numbers don't really look coloured as such:

 

[obsidianavenger]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

I have mild synaesthesia. I don't exactly see numbers as colours, but I do strongly associate them no matter what else is going on. Ironic, really, since I'm also partially colourblind.
For example,
1 =darkish green
2 =blue
3 =light green
4 =red
5 ="deep" yellow
6 =yellow again, but sort of paler, less distinct than 5
7 =lightish brown
8 =dark/blood red
9 =grey, almost black
10 =????? indescribable, maybe sort of dark greyish, but also slightly green
11 =lighter grey
12 =purple

etc

I can see the pattern in this picture without effort, but the numbers don't really look coloured as such:

thats pretty f*cking cool.

 

[lrkun]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

i don't even notice the syllables of words when i am reading. i just.... swallow the meaning whole... i guess >.>

it does totally help if you're trying to memorize something though. even if you forget the actually content, the sound will stay with you longer. putting it to a silly tune helps the most. for some reason those can be recalled from the murky depths of memory long after the words have been forgotten...

Meaning = concept?

I have mild synaesthesia. I don't exactly see numbers as colours, but I do strongly associate them no matter what else is going on. Ironic, really, since I'm also partially colourblind.
For example,
1 =darkish green
2 =blue
3 =light green
4 =red
5 ="deep" yellow
6 =yellow again, but sort of paler, less distinct than 5
7 =lightish brown
8 =dark/blood red
9 =grey, almost black
10 =????? indescribable, maybe sort of dark greyish, but also slightly green
11 =lighter grey
12 =purple

etc

I can see the pattern in this picture without effort, but the numbers don't really look coloured as such:

Wow, good for you.

 

[nasher168]

Re: Do you agree that reading is similar to listening to mus

Thinking about it, I've got all sorts of weird stuff. :\
A swelling in my right cheek, a hole in my brain that makes my handed-ness all screwed up (write with left, drink with right, shoot a bow right-handed, fire a gun left-handed etc), partial colour-blindness, mild synaesthesia, one foot about a quarter of a centimetre shorter than the other (makes me walk toe-heel with my right foot when not wearing shoes).