Language, vision and music: what common cognitive patterns underlie our competence in these disparate modes of thought? Language (natural & formal), vision and music seem to share at least the following attributes: a hierarchical organisation of constituents, recursivity, metaphor, the possibility of self-reference, ambiguity, and systematicity. Can we propose the existence of a general symbol system with instantiations in these three modes or is the only commonality to be found at the level of such entities as cerebral columnar automata? Answers are to be found in this international collection of work which recognises that one of the basic features of consciousness is its MultiModality, that there are possibilities to model this with contemporary technology, and that cross-cultural commonalities in the experience of, and creativity within, the various modalities are significant. With the advent of Intelligent MultiMedia this aspect of consciousness implementation in mind/brain acquires new significance. (Series B)

The first significant collection of new and classic texts on video, bringing together some of the leading international cultural and music critics writing today.

The past 15 years have witnessed an increasing interest in the comparative study of language and music as cognitive systems. Language and music are uniquely human traits, so it is not surprising that this interest spans practically all branches of cognitive science, including psychology, computer science, linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and education. Underlying the study of language and music is the assumption that the comparison of these two domains can shed light on the structural and functional properties of each, while also serving as a test case for theories of how the mind and, ultimately, the brain work. This book presents an interdisciplinary study of language and music, bringing together a team of leading specialists across these fields. The volume is structured around four core areas in which the study of music and language has been particularly fruitful: (i) structural comparisons, (ii) evolution, (iii) learning and processing, and (iv) neuroscience. As such it provides a snapshot of the different research strands that have focused on language and music, identifying current trends and methodologies that have been (or could be) applied to the study of both domains, and outlining future research directions. This volume is valuable in promoting the investigation of language and music by fostering interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration. With an ever increasing interest in both music cognition and language, this book will be valuable for students and researchers of psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and musicology.

Through Vision, the Angel Records compact disk of Hildegard's liturgical songs, set to contemporary rhythms, Hildegard's music and indeed Hildegard herself have been rediscovered. The companion book to the CD, Vision: The Life and Music of Hildegard von Bingen was compiled and edited by Jane Bobko, with text by the well-known Hildegard scholar Barbara Newman and commentary by the theologian Matthew Fox. The book is divided into three sections: a biography, a section in which twelve of Hildegard's visions are reproduced and interpreted, and an in-depth discussion of medieval music, and of Hildegard's music in particular. It includes a full translation and analysis of all the songs on the Vision CD.

Although there has been much progress in developing theories, models and systems in the areas of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Vision Processing (VP) there has heretofore been little progress on integrating these subareas of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This book contains a set of edited papers addressing computational models and systems for the integration of NLP and VP. The papers focus on site descriptions such as that of the large Japanese $500 million Real World Computing (RWC) project, on historical philosophical issues, on systems which have been built and which integrate the processing of visual scenes together with language about them, and on spatial relations which appear to be the key to integration. The U.S.A., Japan and the EU are well reflected, showing up the fact that integration is a truly international issue. There is no doubt that all of this will be necessary for the InformationSuperHighways of the future.

Deals with issue of sound in audio-visual images

Our understanding of the nature and processing of figurative language is central to issues in cognitive science, including the relationship of language and thought, how we process language, and how we comprehend abstract meaning. Points on these and related questions are raised and argued by experts in the area of figurative language.

From the contents: Beckett and the quest for meaning (Martin Esslin). - Beckett's tonic laughter (Manfred Pfister). - The magic triangle: James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Arno Schmidt (Friedhelm Rathjen). - Beckett performed in Italy (Annamaria Cascetta). - Beckett and synaesthesia (Yoshiki Tajiri). - Beckett versus the reader (Michael Guest).

New Discourse on Language addresses the need for innovative analyses of multi-modal discourse, identity and affiliation within functional linguistics. The chapters in this volume are connected by their common underlying theoretical approach, Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), and by their focus on semantic variation (across modalities of communication and between speakers) as well as the negotiation of identity and affiliation. The analyses focus on a diverse range of texts from very different contexts, using analytic techniques that are based on the latest research in this field. They represent a wealth of exploratory, innovative and challenging perspectives, and are a key contribution to the extension of systemic-functional theory to the analysis of multimodality, identity and affiliation. The volume is of interest to linguists, applied linguists, semioticians, and communication theorists.

Language is Music focuses on making learning foreign languages fun, easy and affordable for anyone with a desire to communicate effectively with people around the world. By applying over 100 simple tips to things you already do, such as listening to music or surfing the Web, you can experience the joy of "fluency" in any language without having to study abroad or spend money on private tutors. In Language is Music, Susanna Zaraysky masterfully shares her listening methods so that anyone can have fun learning any language. With over 100 tips and 100 free or low-cost Internet resources, you will learn how to use daily activities, such as watching T.V. or listening to music; conversation partners; and attendance at cultural events to become a masterful speaker of any tongue. "Learning foreign languages is like learning to sing a song or play music," says self-made linguist Susanna Zaraysky and author of Language is Music. Zaraysky has what you might call "an ear" for languages, having used music to successfully learn English, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Serbo-Croatian-all with excellent accents. Advance Praise for Language is Music "I love it! I think it will help people who want to learn, and those who are curious about additional language learning. Many people want to learn a language but are frightened, or disappointed by the courses they have taken. Reading Language is Music will encourage them to try again, on their own and with friendly supporters." -Dr. Elba Maldonado-Colon, Professor Department of Elementary Education Bilingual Program, San Jose State University LET IT JUST ROLL OFF YOUR TONGUE. With lyrical insight and solid experience, Susanna Zaraysky, author of Language is Music, provides easy steps for learning a language. Gone are the boring, disconnected strategies that most of us remember from school. You've never learned a language this quickly and easily. Zaraysky's methods embody fun, connection, rhythm, and above all...music. -Suzanne Lettrick, M.Ed Educator and Founder of The Global Education and Action Network "Forget dictionaries and phrase books . . . Susanna Zaraysky's easy-to-use guide to language learning is indispensable for any serious language learner wanting to become fluent--not just conversationally proficient--in another language. Language is Music will teach you how to make language acquisition a part of your daily life, and to recreate the kind of total-immersion environment necessary for fluency. Highly recommended reading for aspiring polyglots. Pick up this book and you too will be all ears!" -Justin Liang, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Marshallese, intermediate Spanish Back in France, I spent many years learning "academic" English in school. But I progressed much faster when I forced myself to listen to the BBC or not look at the subtitles when watching an American movie. I wish I had Susanna's book with me then. It's full of creative ideas and practical tips that are indispensable complements to the traditional methods of learning foreign languages -- and it's coming from someone you can trust, she speaks so many of them! -Philippe Levy, French native speaker This book is great. It showed me another aspect and a new approach of learning a language. I will put the book to good use. As a foreign English speaker, I spent many years at school learning English and did not make much progress. A lot of the tips that I read in this book, I learned them with time. However if I had read this book earlier, it would have made my life much easier and I would have saved so much time. I am going to apply the tips in Language is Music into learning a third language: Spanish. This time, I am sure I will make huge progress much faster. Not only is Language is Music useful in acquiring a foreign language, but the resources and websites in the book are valuable for someone who wants to travel abroad. -Fabien Hsu, French native speaker