Music and Discourse: Theoretical and Empirical Insights

Language and music, two distinctly human endeavours, share numerous parallels: both depend on sound and/or signs, exhibit hierarchical organisation and culturally-informed practices, and possess the capacity to convey both communicative and social significance. This shared ground offers a rich terrain for studies bridging them together. The overarching goal of the proposed edited collection is to further explore how linguistic tools can be applied to enhance our understanding of music(al) practices. Music(al) practice is understood here as a broad term, encompassing not only the conventional notion of artists creating music on stage or in the studio but also various activities like writing and speaking about music. Accordingly, the focal points of this edited collection revolve around the integral aspects of music production, distribution, and consumption processes. A tendency towards growing interest in “music” has been manifested in language studies for some time, and in a variety of ways, demonstrating the empirical complexity and theoretical potential of the linguistic approach to language of and about music. Approaching the subject from diverse perspectives, applied linguists have already made significant contributions, operating in two main dimensions: examining song lyrics (i.e. Kreyer, Rolf & Joybrato Mukherjee 2009; Werner 2021; Larroque 2023) and describing meaning-making practices related to or surrounding music (i.e. Machin 2010; Way & McKerrell 2017, Aleshinskaya 2013). From a theoretical perspective, few attempts have been made so far to conceptualise music itself as a form of (critical) discourse, with the exception of Van Leeuwen (1998; 1999; 2012), and Bradby (2003). To date, a comprehensive linguistic scrutiny of the rich communicative resources and dynamics at work within the sphere of music-related language and discourse remains relatively underexplored. Within this context, (Critical) Discourse Analysis is one of the most promising theoretical approaches to the linguistic exploration of music(al) discourse, even if it is largely underestimated. It can help us understand how specific language features, such as vocabulary, grammatical patterns, and overall organisation, are used to construct meaning in texts. However, it is crucial to recognise that while DA proves highly insightful, it is just one method among several that could be used for the analysis of music-related practices. This perceived gap in relevant research is particularly notable in respect of synchronic and diachronic analysis of texts and genres, multimodal, multilingual and contrastive studies, language use in music-related professional settings, and the situated meanings and values of music production, consumption and performance. This collection aims to advance research in these areas by bringing together scholars from various strands of linguistics to examine the diverse ways in which language functions within the discourse of music in all its diversity, offering a wide array of analytical tools and perspectives. Specifically, in exploring specific music(al) discourses across various texts, genres and times, the chapters will provide not only a rigorous and robust linguistic description of these forms but also outline the methodological issues involved in applying linguistic approaches to music(al) discourse more broadly.