Saving endangered languages through music: Susanna Zaraysky at TEDxSantaCruz

Music + language (songs) activate our brains, hearts and souls. By using songs, we can learn foreign languages and saved dying tongues.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[maekosin]

I simply loved your video. I'm already studying English 2 years and I consider myself fluent, that's why I decided start studying Spanish 6 months ago. When I was 17 years old I was listening a lot of musics in English and translating it to Portuguese in order to understand the lyrics. After some years I've heard some teachers saying that music doesn't help so much in order to achieve a good level of English, but in my experience and with your videos I found out that study English through music was one of the best choices I already did. I'm so lucky! 

[nicholashethersay]

I %100 agree, your book is amazing.:)

[vladimirgeorgiev]

I think, it is right and I personally listen to music in a lot of languages and speak multiple languages, and the risk of forgetting language is much lower! But music should be combined with another resources like people, different materials in the target language, I don't think that only music itself will lead to high level even when listened actively =)

[kayngelhall]

yup!  Finally, a TedX talk that isn't asinine.

[KennTollens]

I'm all for a translation tool to convert the written languages to one universal language. Then everyone can speak the same language and have better communication from here on out.

[erturtemirbaev]

you went to Kyrgyzstan. when? which year?

[fahembluebluefahem]

thats not the case with me . i speak berber arabic frensh and english, i work since 6 years in u.s. and nobody raised my salary because i knew 4 languages or promoted me .

[MasterPHD]

i understood the fist song perfectly without speaking the language, sounds a little like broken spanish lmao

[JohnChristenNizzaDiCorsi]

Well, you're wrong in regards to the people of Brazil being considered Indigenous. They have given up their Tribal Sovereignty for the last 500 years and have only spoken European tongues. I agree with the concept but I don't know why you're trying to be inclusive of Latinos as endangered people when they're not.

[nicholashethersay]

Well, Because its not your language your not going to want to save itZ Only those who actually care will try x x

[SuviTuuliAllan]

Shouldn't these languages be preserved for those who were born into the culture instead of outsiders? Smells of colonialism.

[SuviTuuliAllan]

Shouldn't these languages be preserved for those who were born into the culture instead of outsiders? Smells of colonialism.