We all love the famous Abbott and Costello routine. The ambiguity created by giving baseball players interrogatives as names (“Who’s on first? What’s on second?”) sets up and sustains a classic of American comedy.

But the joke works only because it is built on a shared set of terms. First there’s a context (baseball) that the performers and the audience take for granted. Then there are specific terms, without which we couldn’t discuss baseball much less appreciate the comedy of Abbott and Costello.

I use baseball and Abbott and Costello in Discovering Music as an illustration of the need to learn music terminology. The fact is, talking about music is difficult. Try this experiment: ask someone to describe a favorite song without referring to the lyrics. Or referring to the singer’s personality. Don’t be surprised if the person has difficulty talking effectively about the actual song.

Yet learning music terminology isn’t hard. And a little terminology goes a long way. If knowing basic terms like “second base” and “short-stop” allows us to visualize baseball and enjoy a comedy routine, imagine what knowing basic music terminology can do for our ability to enjoy music.

When you love something, learning the game is easier than you think.

By the way, you might like this Shakespearian twist on Abbott and Costello.