"You can only speak a foreign language well if you can hear it properly. That is, if you can distinguish the sounds, rhythms and music of the language."
Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis
The human ear is designed to pick up a wide range of sound frequencies and perceive an infinite number of rhythms, but in practice, most of us can only recognise the sounds and rhythms of our mother tongue. In every part of the world, in every nation, people hear in different ways and this affects our ability to learn each otherís languages.
The French use a range of sound frequencies between 1,000 and 2,000 Hertz, the English cover 4 octaves between 2,000 Hz and 12,000 Hz and the Slavs, known for their gift with languages, hear and express themselves over eleven octaves.
So, speaking another language depends on our "auditory perception" or our ability to tune in to the sounds of that language.
Dr. Alfred Tomatis
(1920-2001), was a world-renowned Ear Nose and Throat specialist working in the field of auditory phonetics. Through his research into the function of the ear in language learning, he found that the relationship between hearing and reproducing sounds can be used to facilitate the comprehension, expression and assimilation of a language.
Using the "Electronic Ear"
, developed by Alfred Tomatis enables the student to attune his/her ear to the sounds of a language, so that they seem completely familiar and can be reproduced as well as a native speaker.