How do you "get" the rhythm of a new language? Can you?

Clker.com

This is something of a follow up to a 3/10/24 blog post (All you need is rhythm . . . ).Turns out, not surprisingly, that natural "rhythmic sense" may give you an advantage in at least acquiring the pronunciation of a language . . . at least Norwegian! Interesting finding in a new study, Replication of population-level differences in auditory-motor synchronization ability in a Norwegian-speaking population, by Sjuls, Vulchanova & Assaneo of Norwegian University of Science and Technology (summarized in Neuroscience News as: Can rhythm sense predict language skills?).

The research found "pronounced" differences in the subjects of the study in terms of how quickly they could lock on to (or sync their body with) the rhythm of speech samples. Earlier research by the same team had established the general correlation between rhythmic sense and pronunciation accuracy. This study extends those findings considerably, implying that language learning more broadly considered may hang on perception of rhythm. The nexus of connections of rhythmic processing in the brain and grammatical structure has long been recognized and investigated. 

Of course, to quote my favorite Bertrand Russell quip: a difference that doesn't make a difference . . . doesn't make a difference, the critical thresholds on the rhythm perception continuum were not investigated but the existence of such barriers or facilitation points seems obvious. Any experienced language instructor who works with speaking in almost any context "knows" learners who fit both ends of the scale. The question is: what can be done for the naturally "rhythmically challenged?" 

A number of studies have demonstrated the benefit of early focus on the rhythm in acquiring an L2, but the direct connection to the underlying process involved has never been clear. In other words, the implications are that working with rhythm just for rhythm's sake for the FUN of it--not directly tied to the structure of the text in the lesson or specific words or lexical constructions  . . . may still be highly beneficial. So get out your guitar, raps and books of poetry . . .  just for the embodied experience of "getting" the rhythm of the L2. (You knew that!) You now have Neuroscience's permission! Go for it!(and you come join us who do embodied rhythm the haptic pronunciation teaching way, of course!) 

Source: Sjuls, G.S., Vulchanova, M.D. & Assaneo, M.F. Replication of population-level differences in auditory-motor synchronization ability in a Norwegian-speaking population. Commun Psychol 1, 47 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-023-00049-2