Being attuned to the musicality of language can tell us a lot. If a person’s pitch is suspended, it means a sentence is not yet concluded. Similarly, rhythmic breaks punctuate distinct units of meaning. The main clause has its own melody, as does the subordinate clause. Certain words may be emphasized—for example, the speaker might slow down—indicating that the meaning of the sentence is concentrated there, while less important words are passed over more quickly. In other words, the structure of a sentence is expressed in its melody, and if you listen in a musical way, you’ll have a blueprint for navigating a large and complex building.Perhaps venturing outside your mother tongue means surrendering yourself to a different kind of music.