The Evolutionary Link Between Music and Language

Human evolution suggests that our ancestral species engaged in musical expression before developing spoken language. Proto-languages may have been musical in nature, as music and sound were essential forms of communication prior to the invention of words. When spoken language started being paired with music, it enhanced memory retention due to the rhythmic and structural elements like meter, rhyme, and accent that provide strong cues for recall. This technique facilitated the oral transmission of epic narratives such as the Iliad and Odyssey, as well as religious texts like the Old Testament, which were traditionally sung and preserved accurately over generations. Utilizing song as a learning tool is evident in early childhood education, where children learn essential information through melodies and rhythms, demonstrating that music served an evolutionary purpose in retaining critical knowledge about survival and communal living.