Recycling of General English Vocabulary into Specialized Music‑theoretical Terms - Major Diatonic Scale

Author(s)	Mr. Praveen Dasari
Country	India
Abstract	Abstract English has gradually emerged as the principal language of international musicological discourse and pedagogy. Within this linguistic shift, a large proportion of technical music‑theoretical vocabulary is derived not from foreign languages but from general English words that have been re‑semanticized for musical use. This paper examines how familiar English terms—such as “scale,” “step,” “key,” “sign,” “tone,” “degree,” and “natural”—are repurposed as technical labels for the Major Diatonic Scale in theory and classroom practice. By analyzing textbook definitions, lesson‑plan language, and common pedagogical formulations, the study argues that these lexical borrowings function as a cognitive framework that shapes how students conceptualize tonal structure. The paper concludes by reflecting on the implications of this lexical economy for multilingual music‑theory instruction and for the global transmission of Western tonal ideology through English.
Keywords	Keywords: Musicology, English as a lingua franca, Major Diatonic Scale, lexical borrowing, music terminology, general English vocabulary, English‑medium pedagogy
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-03-26
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i02.72608

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