[FA Worldmusic] Language redux...

[Robert Singerman]

What is it about language that throws off so many people? I agree, too, that
language translation ALONE will probably not solve our problems?

But it will most certainly go a long way towards assisting, which is why I
really can9t understand resistance from what should be the choir. Does
anyone have a vested interest in keeping this music foreign, small, clubby,
exotic, not understandable, not mass? What are we holding on to here?
Inertia, from such obviously committed professionals?

If you check out www.sfsc.yabla.com and some of these videos/songs, I think
you can clearly experience for yourself, as inelegant as the design may be,
that yes, at least a few, if not many, mainstream music fans would be much
more interested in more world and international music and show up at more
concerts, with additional enjoyment and enrichment, if they understood the
words and meanings to these songs, for example. In all genres with lyrics.

The track Dmitri sent was almost all instrumental and great, but people will
sing along in North America, (and did to many bands I represented even when
not understanding lyrics), if they know the words and the words mean
something to them.

How do you get mass American audiences to give a damn withOUT understanding
language and the stories, words, meanings, hooks, cultures represented? This
is the human mind I9m speaking about, NOT technology. Flip the switch with
the words AND the music! It9s so much cooler to understand than not to
understand, no?

What is education without language and understanding? Eventually your mind
has to understand the other or the language, as it cries for connection, or
hides from the unknown.

I9d guess many of the lucky people on this thread have been in a country
where they could not communicate nor understand nor read anything familiar
and that9s one of the reasons we have heightened sensitivities to this
issue, but just imagine when you will be able to understand all the lyrics
you hear and all the tv stations or radio stations or websites you surf.
It9s as powerful to solving our problems as breaking down costs of
transportation, communication, education, recording, distribution all the
traditional barriers.

Anyway, off now to Alliance Francaise in NYC who found by themselves and now
use yabla for language learning, just because of the great musical and tv
language content online that their students love to use to learn, listen,
enjoy, understand and expand their minds and consciousness.

I9m envisioning a program to help offer l.e.d. Signs, or other solutions,
for live venues presenting translated lyrics from different languages. More
than open for all ideas, collaborations, support and suggestions, thanks.

All best, Robert







I think stories and context are important. But I am not sure language
translation alone is going to solve our problems. Does a world music CD with
lyric translations interest a mainstream music fan or hipster music fan more
than a world music CD without lyric translation? Would "typical North
American hip hop fans" show up to an X Plastaz (Tanzanian/Maasai hip hop
band) concert and read LCD/LED screens? (Hear
http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/ram/Geo_Cheza%20(Kid%20Sundance%20Remix).ra
m.) I
agree that understanding the stories and words helps... but N. Americans are
not going to sing along, for the most part. The barrier, I think, is much
bigger than language. A movement that gets a mass American audience to give
a damn about what is going on outside of our borders would be far more
effective. The original music technology of the human mind would be far more
effective than any computer software in engaging people in the planet's
music as a whole. The wireless is built in from birth. The question is how
to flip the switch. Make global curiosity cool for many different
sub-populations of North America.

Much respect,

===> Dmitri!
music at rockpaperscissors.biz




Message: 2
Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:11:44 -0400
From: "Kathryn Garcia" <kgarcia at carnivalcenter.org>
Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] Language!
To: "Dmitri Vietze" <music at rockpaperscissors.biz>,
    <fa-worldmusic at folk.org>

I agree Dmitri, addressing language alone does not solve the problem.  I
think part of instilling this sense of "global curiosity" as you mention
comes through education. It's all a question of what you've been exposed
to.

It is important for us not to forget about bringing world music into the
schools.  If a kid hears and learns about music from Vietnam, Pakistan
or Peru in the classroom, they are not only learning about these places,
but it instills an open mindedness early on.  It is crucial that we work
on the long term as well, because as cheesy as it may seem - this is
really where the future and real change lies.

This also means that more world music artists need to develop programs
to make this very foreign stuff (in some cases) accessible for kids.  If
kids have a great time and learn new things, teachers and students will
be begging for more!

Kathryn
(Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, Miami)