The Theory of Song-Dance Synchrony in Human Language

This paper proposes the Theory of Song-Dance Synchrony in Human Language (歌舞言語共調論), which reinterprets phonological phenomena such as vowel harmony and moraic rhythm as emergent features of embodied, rhythmic communication. Drawing from linguistic typology, ethnomusicology, and anthropology, the theory argues that human language evolved not in isolation but in synchrony with song, dance, and breath-based movement. Through comparative analysis of languages like Japanese, Korean, and Ainu—each exhibiting rhythmic, open-syllable structures—the study reveals a shared phonological tendency rooted in bodily coordination. Vowel harmony, rather than being a purely articulatory optimization, is reframed as a resonant adaptation to collective vocal expression. This work calls for a new paradigm in linguistics that integrates movement, rhythm, and group synchrony into our understanding of language origins and structure. Author : Tetsuo Konno(今野哲夫)