Sounds Analyses in a Sports Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sounds Analyses in a Sports Event - Essay Example Sounds Analyses in a Sports Event It is said that one way music can be interpreted is through the listener’s â€Å"interaction† with it. Sound can be similarly interpreted this way, as sound is also perceived through the auditory sense . This idea can be linked some points in the field notes during the women’s tennis game between Duke University and Virginia Tech. For example, before the start of the game, the crowd could be heard chatting non-stop on probably every topic possible in casual conversations. As an observer, the sounds can be interpreted depending on the personal viewpoint of the listener or the â€Å"intention†. These sounds can be seen as sounds of excitement, of nervousness, or of indifference. To explain further, these three interpretations will be dissected. Sounds from the crowd can be interpreted as excitement due to the consistent rising and falling of the intonation of the overall chatter. They can also be interpreted as nervousness due to the listener’s percep tion of the circumstances where the sounds are happening. Rival fans can easily be perceived as nervous for the game results. Additionally, indifference may also be another interpretation due to the casual setting where the sounds are happening. However, this is just one aspect of interpretation. Another interpretation of sound can be based on â€Å"intentionality.† According to Tia De Nora, â€Å"users configure themselves as agents in and through the ways they relate to objects while they also configure objects in and through the ways they, as agents, behave towards those objects† ... De Nora, â€Å"users configure themselves as agents in and through the ways they relate to objects while they also configure objects in and through the ways they, as agents, behave towards those objects† (Guck 195). It happens, for instance, when the listener uses the music as a catalyst to what the listener wants to feel. For example, during the event, if the listener wants to feel excitement, they can easily use the sounds around them as a catalyst to feel excitement. The endless, mixed sound of voices can easily be used as an accomplice to get this feeling. On the other hand, if the listener wants to feel that their preferred team or player is at an advantage, they could choose to interpret the sounds from rival fans as nervousness (Guck 195-7). Semantics and Pragmatics In communication, aside from phonetics, lexicon, grammar, and syntax, pragmatics, and semantics are also necessary (Feld 206-7). Similarly, rules beyond how a music or sound is made are considered in interpr eting music or sound. Meanings and conceptions of self are equally important in interpreting the objects a listener hears. This could mean that sounds cannot be interpreted solely on the basis of its structure while isolating the context where it is heard. While not absolutely similar, it is reasonable to point out that some issue in linguistics may be applied in ethnomusicology (Feld 207). For example, in the same sports event, if a listener focuses on the social structure where sounds are produced, any listener will interpret the sounds in similar fashion. However, if the pragmatic and semantic theories are applied, a simple sound of laughter from a group of people may present different meanings to the listener. This does not discuss yet the â€Å"intentional† meaning that the producers of the