No nonsense: The logic and power of acoustic‐iconic mnemonic systems

Abstract

Oral mnemonic systems for transmitting or representing melodies are examined in several diverse music cultures, to demonstrate that certain acoustic—phonetic features of vowels and consonants lead to similar systems of mnemonics existing independently in widely separated cultures. The primary relevant features are Intrinsic Pitch, Intrinsic Intensity and Intrinsic Duration; it is argued that largely subliminal yet universal awareness of these features leads to their use in structuring mnemonic systems. The article also reports on an attempt to begin testing the universal accessibility of the relevant perceptions.

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