Newsgroups: sci.lang
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From: mikulska@faust.Princeton.EDU (Margaret Mikulska)
Subject: Re: Vocab Memorisation Methods...?
Message-ID: <1994Oct18.182210.25983@Princeton.EDU>
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Reply-To: mikulska@astro.princeton.edu (Margaret Mikulska)
Organization: Princeton University
References: <1994Oct14.080526.6325@scammell.ecos.tne.oz.au> <1994Oct14.080727.6445@scammell.ecos.tne.oz.au>
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 1994 18:22:10 GMT
Lines: 59

In article <1994Oct14.080727.6445@scammell.ecos.tne.oz.au> pcm@scammell.ecos.tne.oz.au (Peter Murray) writes:
>
>I am interested in finding out about the various methods
>people here are using to memorise large volumes of
>foreign language vocabulary. 

I find memorization (in the strict sense of this word) inefficient and
a waste of time. 

>Personally, I use;
>
>- Repetition   (boring and not so useful if I'm not concentrating)

This is simply inefficient - you are given words without context, no
wonder it's not easy to memorize them.  And yes, it's boring.

>- Visualisation (doesn't seem to work too well for words representing
>                abstract ideas)
>
>- Actual Use   (often hard to find native speakers to practice with)

Talk to yourself.  (Seriously.)  Think in the target language.  True,
you may not always be able to correct yourself, but it's definitely a
sort of practice.  I sometimes switch to thinking in a foreign
language just to practice it a bit.

>- Rapid memorisation methods;  I wish I knew some!

Snake oil :-)

>I would like to hear about other peoples methods and experiences.

1. Read a lot - does wonders for your vocabulary.

2. Listen to tapes without paying full attention to the text: for
   instance, when driving or doing some chores.  (This probably works
   better if your memory tends to be aural rather than visual.)

3. For me, knowing the etymology of words is extremely useful, since
   this way I can often recognize cognates in several languages.
   This helps me to remember (or even guess) the meaning of the word
   in the language I study and at the same time it allows me to read
   texts in languages I haven't studied yet.  (Of course, this method
   is not perfect: there are shifts in meaning and false cognates.)

4. (On the beginning-to-low-intermediate level) Substitution exercises,
   both written and oral.  Writing down a sentence with a new word or
   saying it aloud is a good way to memorize a new word.  As your
   knowledge of the language improves, you can do more complex
   substitutions.

In a nutshell, acquiring a large vocabulary (in a foreign language) is
only a means, not the purpose of learning; therefore, I don't think
it's useful to concentrate on memorizing words - it's better to just
start using them.

-Margaret Mikulska
mikulska@faust.princeton.edu

