MUSIC AS A LANGUAGE GAME: A PHILOSOCPHICAL DISCUSSION PROVING

HOW MUSIC IS A LANGUAGE GAME BASED ON WITTGENSTEINIAN

THOUGHT

By:
Paula Benilde D. Dungo

A Philosophical Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Subject
Philosophy 195

Department of Philosophy
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
University of the Philippines Diliman
Quezon City

December 2018
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………… 1
Definition of Music……………………………………………………………………… 2
Elements of Music……………………………………………………………………….. 3
Ludwig Wittgenstein…………………………………………………………………….. 4
Definition of Language…………………………………………………………………... 5
Definition of Language Game…………………………………………………………… 7
Music as a Language…………………………………………………………………….. 8
Music as a Language Game……………………………………………………………… 10
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...... 11
References……………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Introduction

This paper aims to analyze music as a language game through philosopher, Ludwig

Wittgenstein’s works, the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and the Philosophical

Investigations.

In order to prove that music is indeed a language game, there must first be an

established definition of music. Different definitions of music will be presented thoroughly

discussed, as well as different elements of music. This would result to a clearer

understanding, and easier analysis of the concept of music.

The works of one of the most known contemporary philosophers will be used in the

philosophical discussion. Getting to know the man behind the text leads to better

understanding of it. This would also allow a clearer understanding about the author’s way of

thinking of a better examination of his most famous works.

After establishing an understanding of what music is, and getting to know Ludwig

Wan Wittgenstein, the next step is to define language according to his two aforementioned

works. An analysis of the Tractatus and Philosophical investigations would be advantageous

because one would be able to compare and contrast the two works, to establish Wittgenstein’s

general definition of language.

The next step is to substantiate that music is a language after establishing the meaning

of both language and music. Music is structured, however it is also inexact. It also conveys

meaning, and is always in social context.

Proving music as its own language game is possible by first defining what a language

game is, and then analyzing it in comparison to the already established definition of language

and music, supported by examples of different studies.

1
Definitions of Music

Many people from different fields have formulated their own definition of music.

Philosopher Andrew Kania defines music as "any event intentionally produced or organized,

to be heard, and either to have some basic musical feature such as pitch or rhythm, or to be

listened to for such features."

He views music as organized sound. He says "Most theorists note that music does not

consist entirely of sounds. Most obviously, much music includes rests. You might think that

silence can function only to organize the sounds of music. One counterargument is that an

understanding listener listens to the rests, just as she listens to the sounds.”1

Sociologist Stuart Hall on the other hand sees music as a matter of both ethics and

aesthetics, he says that "[Musical] identity is mobile, a process not a thing, a becoming not a

being" but at the same time, "Our experience of music is best understood as an experience.”2

Other theorists define music by making the distinction between non-music. Julian

Cullen Budwey from Amherst College, theorizes that good and bad music is teleological. 3

This means that if music serves its purpose, then it is good music. If it in turn does not serve

its purpose, it would be bad music.

The term sonance is then introduced. According to the book Psychology of Music,

sonance is "aspect of tone quality which results from fluctuations in pitch, intensity, and

timbre within a tone."4 Sound without the presence of sonance is merely noise and not music.

The distinction between noise and music is also seen in the effect of the sound to the

listener. Music is also defined as an art which arranges and combines sounds to produce

1
Kania, A. (2017, July 11). The Philosophy of Music. Retrieved from
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/music/#DefiMusiKania
2
Stuart, H. (n.d.). Questions of Cultural Identity. Sage Publications.
3
Good & Bad Music. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/courses/1011S/PHIL/PHIL-67-
1011S/goodbadmusic
4
Seashore, C. E. (1936). The Psychology of Music. IV. The Quality of Tone: (2) Sonance.
Music Educators Journal,23(2), 20. doi:10.2307/3384541

2
frequencies that result into harmonious melodies, it is pleasing to the ears and has soothing

effects, Noise on the other hand is unwanted sound that is usually meaningless, it has an

unpleasant sound with an irregular wave length and frequencies, it obstructs and confuses

messages towards man or animals when communicating.5

Elements of Music

Given all of these definitions of music, it has certain elements. Elements of music

include pitch, rhythm, melody, timbre, dynamics, texture, and collage.

Pitch is defined as the highness or lowness of a tone. Certain organization of pitches

forming a pattern with intervals in between are called scales.

Rhythm gives the timing of the music. A rhythm is specific pattern in time. It is

usually organized in a meter, which groups beats in 2, 3, or 4 counts per division.

The melody is the combination of both pitch and rhythm, and is one of, if not the most

important element of music. It is also called the musical line because this is usually the part

we sing, or recognize when we hear music. Some call it the theme of the composition.

Timbre, is the sound quality or tone color of music. This is how we can determine

different sounds from one another although they play the same note. A good example would

be distinguishing the sound of the string section from the horn section in an orchestra even if

they at times play the same melody.

Dynamics is the loudness or softness of music. In musical composition the dynamics

of different sections of the piece vary to portray a certain feel to the music.

The texture of music is the number of different sounds you can hear when listening to

music. A solo singer, singing acapella would only have one line and would be called

monophonic, A solo singer accompanied by an acoustic guitar would have 2 musical lines

5
M, E. (2011, May 31). Difference Between. Retrieved from
http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-noise-and-
music/

3
involving a melody and a simple accompaniment. Its texture is called a homophonic one. A

choir or a band with several musical lines, playing different notes has a polyphonic texture.

Lastly, the collage is how a composer arranges the different elements with different

textures and sounds.6

Ludwig Wittgenstein

After discussing what music is, and before discussing what language is, it is important

to know the philosopher whose works will be used in the analysis in order to understand his

way of thinking. Ludwig Wittgenstein is one of the philosophers who discussed language in

depth.

Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein was born on April 26, 1889. He was an Austrian-

British philosopher whose primary work was in logic, the philosophy or mathematics, the

philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language.7

He came from a very wealthy but tragically dysfunctional Viennese family. He was

well traveled, having regular journeys between England and Vienna, he has also visited

Ireland, Norway, and Russia. In the UK, he moved to Cambridge, Manchester, Swansea, and

Newcastle. At times, he was an engineer, sculptor, photographer, school teacher, hospital

technician and a fellow in philosophy at Cambridge.

“He gave away his fortune and, several times, gave up philosophy. He
published only one book in his lifetime – the Tractatus-Logico-
Philosophicus (1921) and claimed that this work solved all the
(essential) problems of philosophy. But his later work appears to
disown much of it. His reputation is based on the huge collection of
manuscripts and notes known as the Nachlass, together with accounts
6
Source for the whole section: Elements of Music. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://accounts.smccd.edu/mecklerd/mus250/elements.htm
7
"Ludwig Wittgenstein (Author of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus)." Goodreads.
Accessed December 06, 2018.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7672.Ludwig_Wittgenstein.

4
 made by others of lectures he gave. Published in various forms, the
central work is the posthumous Philosophical Investigations (1953).
But later edited collections of remarks such as Zettel, On Certainty
and Remarks on the Foundation of Mathematics and others are also of
enormous importance.”

Many perceive Wittgenstein to be difficult, obscure and intense, severe and mystical,

charismaric and strange, driven and tragic. He saw philosophy as way of life, and not just as a

vocation. This is why several writers and artists find him an object of fascination and

inspiration. “He is the subject of novels, poetry, plays, painting, music, sculpture and films.

In the arts and the culture generally, Wittgenstein seems to be what a philosopher ought to

be.”8

Definition of Language

After establishing an understanding of what music is, and getting to know the author

of the main text, the next step is to define language according to the two aforementioned

works of Wittgenstein.

Ludwig Wittgenstein first wrote the Tractatus. In this book, he discusses in depth

what he thinks language is. Wittgenstein believes that philosophy’s central problems that deal

with the world and language can be resolved through a solution grounded in logic and the

nature of representation. Thought is a proposition with a sense, and the world is represented

by thought. The world, thought and proposition share the same logical form.9

8
Ground, Ian. "The Relentless Honesty of Ludwig Wittgenstein | Ian Ground." TheTLS.
September 14, 2018. Accessed December 06, 2018. https://www.the-
tls.co.uk/articles/public/ludwig-wittgenstein-honesty-ground/.
9
Rajan, Sahana. "Reading Tractatus and Philosophical Investigations: The Changes and
Their 'Meaning'." Academia.edu - Share Research. Accessed December 06, 2018.
http://www.academia.edu/12571943/Reading_Tractatus_and_Philosophical_Investigat
ions_The_Changes_and_Their_Meaning_.

5
 “The idea of a structural similarity between the dimension of language
and that of reality is deepened into the idea that a proposition has
something identical with what it represents – the same mode of
combination of elements – and is by virtue of this a picture of reality.
However, the picture theory presents a significantly different account
of the nature of propositional constituents from the one given in the
Notes; in contrast to the latter, in the Tractatus propositions are seen as
constituted by names alone, in immediate combination.”10

The Philosophical Investigations on the other hand is also about language. However,

here Wittgenstein he rejected the three assumptions written in the Tractatus, namely that

language is used for one purpose the presenting of facts, that sentence acquires meaning in

one way that is through picturing and that language essentially has a clear and firm structure

of the formulae in a logical calculus.

Wittgenstein went on to reject his earlier thoughts in the Tractatus. “In the later

development of his thought Wittgenstein seems to repudiate the earlier notion of the

uniformity of language, which would restrict the word to a rigid and demarcated use, a use

which would suit all cases. He came to think that language is flexible, subtle and

multiform.”11

Here he discusses what has been called "the linguistic turn" in philosophy. For him,

“Language is spoken within a particular kind of social context or activity that gives shape to

the kinds of sentences involved. It is impossible to theorize a singular use or pattern for

language; instead, ‘we see a complicated network of similarities overlapping and criss-

10
Mezzadri, Daniele. "Language and Logic in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus." Nordic
Wittgenstein Review 2, no. 1 (2013). doi:10.1515/nwr.2013.2.1.57.
11
Ara, Rosahn. "WITTGENSTEIN’S CONCEPT OF LANGUAGE GAMES." Al-Hikmat Vol 26
(2006), 47-62. Accessed December 6, 2018.
http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/phill/PDF-files/3Concept of Language - Roshan
Ara.pdf.

6
crossing: sometimes overall similarities, sometimes similarities of detail’ Language use is

always inexact”12

Definition of Language Game

Wittgenstein discusses language game thoroughly in his Philosophical Investigations.

He says that language consists of a series of games that are played out, each game having

their own rules.

“Wittgenstein conceives language by comparing it with a toolbox. In a toolbox there

are several tools like the hammer, square and gluepot. Similarly words have a multiplicity

of different uses.”13 He considers primitive forms of language as language game. He cites

primitive forms of language to emphasize how thinking appears less confusing in these forms

of languages. These simple primitive forms are not completely different from the natural,

more complex languages. They only differ in kind. These primitive forms of language are

tools that help one understand how natural languages function.

“There are different things we designate as games. For example, there

are board games, card-games, ball-games, Olympic games etc.
Wittgenstein argues that, if we seek to know what is common to all
these different types of games, we have nothing specific to point out.
There are some similarities, as in some games we use balls, some are
played indoor, some are played individually and some others in
groups. For instance, both football and volleyball games use balls. But
the ways they are used are different. There are of course some
similarities, but there are also important differences between each
game. These similarities do not warrant us to identify the “essence” of
all games. Wittgenstein characterizes such similarities as family

12
"WittgensteinOverview." ComedyTragedyCharacteristics. Accessed September 25,
2018. https://www3.dbu.edu/mitchell/wittgensteinoverview.htm.
13
Nellickapipilly, S. (n.d.). Chapter 30 Wittgenstein: Language-Games and Forms of Life.
Retrieved December 9, 2018, from https://nptel.ac.in/courses/109106051/Module
4/Chapter 30.pdf.

7
 resemblances, indicating that they are comparable to the resemblances
between the different members of the same family. Some may have
similar noses and some others may have similar foreheads and so on
and so forth. But such similarities and resemblances do not warrant us
to construe an essence.”14

Like actual games such as volleyball, or football, language games have rules. The

rules of language games are regulative mechanism of the community. The people in that

specific community follow them without thinking about them. They have no conscious effort

of raising questions or doubts about the legitimacy of these rules. “Wittgenstein says that

“obeying a rule” is a practice. We learn a rule by following it and by participating in the form

of life. Wittgenstein categorically affirms that rules cannot be observed privately, as they

presuppose a context of life, which is public.”15

Music as a Language

With the different definitions of music, and Wittgenstein’s discussion of language, it

can be established that music can be considered a language. It is seen when music is social,

how music includes silence, and how music is understood.

Music is defined as something that is social. Its definition is seen through the

listeners, and player/singer of music. Like language, it is taken in a social context. Music’s

purpose cannot be fulfilled without interactions with and experiences of other people. Its

effect to listeners gives it, its purpose.

Music includes the silent parts as well as the parts that make sound. Even the posture,

facial expression, and movement of the singer/player contribute in conveying the meaning of

14
Nellickapipilly, S. (n.d.). Chapter 30 Wittgenstein: Language-Games and Forms of Life.
Retrieved December 9, 2018, from https://nptel.ac.in/courses/109106051/Module
4/Chapter 30.pdf.
15
Nellickapipilly, S. (n.d.). Chapter 30 Wittgenstein: Language-Games and Forms of Life.
Retrieved December 9, 2018, from https://nptel.ac.in/courses/109106051/Module
4/Chapter 30.pdf.

8
certain musical piece. Language is like that in a sense that silence in a conversation, can also

have meaning.

In a conversation using language, the meaning comes across from one person to

another with the combination of the heard words, unheard words, and even facial expressions

and physical gestures. There is even in fact language, which is totally silent, and only uses

gestures and facial expressions to convey meaning, such as ASL (American Sign Language)

and FSL (Filipino Sign Language).

Music like language does not need to be analyzed note by note to be understood. As

long as one hears a musical piece, he does not need to break down the piece to its smallest

notes to grasp the meaning of the music. It does not have to be exact. Language, like music is

does not need to be analyzed word per word and does not have to be uniform in order to be

understood.

There is no need for music to follow a specific pattern, arrangement or “grammar” for

its meaning to get across. As such with language where, words do not have to have perfect

grammar in order for its meaning to be conveyed properly.

Lastly, music is mobile. It always evolves and changes. It is a process, not a single

entity. Music is similar to language in this way because language is also flexible, subtle and

multiform. Language, like music also evolves and should be seen as a process, not a single

entity.

Music as a Language Game

Music is not only a language, but can also a language game. Music follows rules

between a society of listeners. This group of people need not be particularly aware of these

rules, but when analyzed, they do exist.

9
 There are specific types of music where certain groups of people understand, while

other groups do not. These people who do understand what the music tries to portray are the

members of that certain piece’s language game.

Language games follow certain “rules” which only the players or members of that

certain language game understand. This is similar to music, where only players of the piece’s

language game can understand what meaning it portrays.

This is where the elements of music play a part. For those who play the language

game of a certain piece, the arrangement of the elements of a certain musical piece can mean

something. For example, in the dynamics of music, when the piece gets louder, it can mean

celebration for a certain language game, but it can also mean alert, or emergency in another

language game. In a wedding, slow and soft music mean romance, while in a tragedy, slow

and soft music mean sadness.

In here, it is only a certain group of people who understand what the specific musical

piece means. For example, in the Philippines, the sound of trumpets and snare drums, mean

fiestas or celebration, in other countries, trumpets and snare drums can mean an alarm, a

show of respect.

Music like language games, follow certain rules, which listeners are not particularly

aware of. Their meanings are also only understood by players or members of a certain group

of people.

10
Conclusion

There is proof that music can be considered a language, and a language game, by

using the definitions given by Ludwig Wittgenstein. Most of the definitions of language and

language games were derived from the Philosophical Investigations, and not the Tractatus,

because Wittgenstein refuted many of his ideas in the Tractatus, in his Philosophical

Investigations.

Music is defined as sound organized, that is intentionally produced to be heard. It not

only includes the hearable parts, but also silence or the rests. It has a social context because

its meaning is based on the listener’s experience, and the effect it has on that person. Lastly,

it is mobile, and continuously evolving.

Language according to Wittgenstein is a social activity, which is used for

communication. It is flexible, subtle, multiform, and inexact. Music is a language, because it

too is found in a social context, which purpose is to be heard or for communication. It does

not need to be analyzed in its parts for it to be understood, it is inexact. Lastly, like language,

music is flexible, mobile, and evolving.

Language games on the other hand are defined by Wittgenstein as languages which

only a certain group of people understand because of the “rules” that this specific group of

people unconsciously follow. Music is a language game because the arrangement of elements

have different meanings for different groups of people. People understand the different

arrangements of the elements of music depending on the certain “rules” they follow in their

own group.

Music is a language, because it can be used for communicating, and portrays certain

meanings. However, certain groups have different understandings of a similar piece wherein,

person out of that specific group would not relate when the music is heard, which is why

music is also a language game.

11
References

Ara, Rosahn. "WITTGENSTEIN’S CONCEPT OF LANGUAGE GAMES." Al-Hikmat Vol

26 (2006), 47-62. Accessed December 6, 2018.
http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/phill/PDF-files/3Concept of Language - Roshan
Ara.pdf.
Elements of Music. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://accounts.smccd.edu/mecklerd/mus250/elements.htm

Good & Bad Music. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/courses/1011S/PHIL/PHIL-67-
1011S/goodbadmusic

Ground, Ian. "The Relentless Honesty of Ludwig Wittgenstein | Ian Ground." TheTLS.
September 14, 2018. Accessed December 06, 2018. https://www.the-
tls.co.uk/articles/public/ludwig-wittgenstein-honesty-ground/.

Kania, A. (2017, July 11). The Philosophy of Music. Retrieved from

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/music/#DefiMusiKania

"Ludwig Wittgenstein (Author of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus)." Goodreads. Accessed

December 06, 2018.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7672.Ludwig_Wittgenstein.

M, E. (2011, May 31). Difference Between. Retrieved from

http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-noise-and-
music/

Mezzadri, Daniele. "Language and Logic in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus." Nordic Wittgenstein

Review 2, no. 1 (2013). doi:10.1515/nwr.2013.2.1.57.

Nellickapipilly, S. (n.d.). Chapter 30 Wittgenstein: Language-Games and Forms of Life.

Retrieved December 9, 2018, from https://nptel.ac.in/courses/109106051/Module
4/Chapter 30.pdf.

Rajan, Sahana. "Reading Tractatus and Philosophical Investigations: The Changes and Their
'Meaning'." Academia.edu - Share Research. Accessed December 06, 2018.
http://www.academia.edu/12571943/Reading_Tractatus_and_Philosophical_Investiga
tions_The_Changes_and_Their_Meaning_.

Seashore, C. E. (1936). The Psychology of Music. IV. The Quality of Tone: (2) Sonance.
Music Educators Journal,23(2), 20. doi:10.2307/3384541

Stuart, H. (n.d.). Questions of Cultural Identity. Sage Publications.

12
"WittgensteinOverview." ComedyTragedyCharacteristics. Accessed September 25, 2018.
https://www3.dbu.edu/mitchell/wittgensteinoverview.htm.

13