The relationship between musical and linguistic pitch abilities in young children was explored. Developmental research demonstrated that abilities in pitch perception and production in early music and language development are closely integrated. Cross-cultural evidence also illustrated the influence of language characteristics on music, children's songs and spontaneous singing. A close examination into the singing ability of the Cantonese-speaking children in Hong Kong showed that pitch abilities in language can possibly enhance pitch accuracy in singing. It was therefore suggested that musical and linguistic abilities should be encouraged in close connection during early childhood.
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