|
Hello,
I've always had trouble memorizing new words in foreign languages especially from:
English -> Foreign language
For example:
English to Korean
School -> Hakyo
Health -> Gun-Gang.
etc...
Of course the lists are longer/more complicated.
I would repeat the word "hakyo" in my head literally 50 times, write it down 30 times, but I would end up forgetting the word a little bit after. The word in Korean seems too random and illogical to remember (because its so different sounding from the word school).
Would anyone have any tips/tricks to memorize foreign language vocabulary?
Thanks in advance.
|
If you have background knowledge on the language: watch shows with subtitles in them.
This is how some of my friends learned to speak some jap and korean. Sometimes they even rage cuz the translation's wrong
|
I used http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced_repetition to great success, you can pick up the program Anki for free and get started with this method right away. The biggest thing i've learned is keep on using the language as much as possible. The more you use it the more it'll stick with you.
|
http://smart.fm/goals/search?autodetected=korean&keyword=&language=ko
smart.fm is very good for learning vocabulary.
They have tricks like different steps:
- first you have to memorize the (in my case) japanese word (text/speech)
- then you get the english word and have to choose the japanese word from a list (few answers)
- get english word -> choose japanese word from a list (more answers)
- get english word -> choose japanese word from a list (more answers but the searched word is NOT in the list)
- then you get japanese word and you have to choose the english word.
- and at last you have to type the japanese word (lettercount is known, one type error allowed)
You can choose how many words per unit you wanna learn. And you always have some previous learned words mixed with new ones. Also your learning progress is tracked very accurately and you get points.Thats very effective!
And for memorizing difficult words, it helped me to watch japanese anime and remember the scenes where charaters use that word
i.e. gomenasai = i am sorry (boy excuses to girl for accidentally touching her boobs  )
For others you just have to use your imagination
i.e. Gakusei = student
I imagine students, looking like chickens, in a class that make the sound gak gak 
|
I use a program called Mnemosyne which is pretty good. It's free to download and essentially uses some magical algorithm to help you remember things.
|
Learn 1-2 new words and then try to use em here on TL.net.
- You learned today - Underwear and get used to.
so you find here some girls blogs and post something like: If you want to have GF, get used to wear clean underwear.
In my opinion its really easy to memorize tons of words this way.
|
On January 10 2011 01:34 Draconicfire wrote:
I use a program called Mnemosyne which is pretty good. It's free to download and essentially uses some magical algorithm to help you remember things.
The magical algorithm is this:
..and it works ridicolously well. I use Mnemosyne too and I am never going back to written cards.
|
There's also a small trick of remember using imagery/ visualization. Supposedly, it works pretty well. For example, any time you say school in korean, you will visually recall a school and associate it in your head. It should at least make the task easier for memorization.
|
I have a shitty memory overall so what the OP describes is impossible to me.
Dunno if you can force words into your long term memory just like that.
However I've never thought of memorizing shit as the most important part when learning languages.
Knowing structures and the use of prepositions and postpositions can give you a shitload of information you can use to make out the meanings of words you have trouble memorizing exactly.
In school I always screwed up the sort of tasks where you were supposed to translate certain words but if you give me a text or a tape in any language I've studied(not much) I understand it.
|
On January 09 2011 21:28 ShcShc wrote:
Hello,
I've always had trouble memorizing new words in foreign languages especially from:
English -> Foreign language
For example:
English to Korean
School -> Hakyo
Health -> Gun-Gang.
etc...
Of course the lists are longer/more complicated.
I would repeat the word "hakyo" in my head literally 50 times, write it down 30 times, but I would end up forgetting the word a little bit after. The word in Korean seems too random and illogical to remember (because its so different sounding from the word school).
Would anyone have any tips/tricks to memorize foreign language vocabulary?
Thanks in advance.
I study middle eastern languages in University and what helps a lot for learning vocabulary is when you learn around 5-10 words a day. Not more, jsut learn those. When you repeat more your brain will allready sort out words learned before.
It's important though that you learn every day which wont take much of your time and then you should be fine
and always helpful is watching TV in the language you want to learn because you hear the words and can combine them with the image you see, helps a lot for memorization
|
Mnemonic devices always work pretty well. And there are plenty of pdf books on them.
|
Use the words in a sentence or hear the words being used in a sentence/situation, makes it a lot easier to remember in my opinion.
Watch shows, play games, read books etc. in the language you want to learn.
|
On January 10 2011 02:28 grobo wrote:
Use the words in a sentence or hear the words being used in a sentence/situation, makes it a lot easier to remember in my opinion.
Watch shows, play games, read books etc. in the language you want to learn.
Definitely agree with grobo. IMO memorization by repetition of the same word tends to only stay in your short term memory. If you really want to learn the language, you should try to use them in many different sentences and speak them out loud.
|
With korean learn each characters meaning. Each syllable has a meaning. If you know those, it will make it easier to understand new words that share them.
|
On January 10 2011 03:02 NIJ wrote:
With korean learn each characters meaning. Each syllable has a meaning. If you know those, it will make it easier to understand new words that share them.
really??? Can you give 1-2 examples?
|
On January 10 2011 03:12 tenacity wrote:Show nested quote +On January 10 2011 03:02 NIJ wrote:
With korean learn each characters meaning. Each syllable has a meaning. If you know those, it will make it easier to understand new words that share them.
really??? Can you give 1-2 examples?
Sure. Example above.
Hak gyo = school
Hak = learning
Gyo = school as in group, corp. School of fish.
Hak + gyo = place of learning = school.
gyo shil = classroom
Shil = room
Room of school = classroom
Hak won = academy
Won = lab
Hak + won = Lab of learning
Somethinf like these.
|
use a picture with the word, and then use the word in the context of a sentence(in that language)
repeating it over and over again won't work.
|
Mnemosyne
thanks for the tip 
|
why does Mnemosyne not have plugins for arabian and persian now I have to write those on my own -_-
|
Mnem0syne and Anki are similar programs. I personally use Anki to help my Japanese study, absolutely invaluable. Combined with listening to lots of your target language and reading, you can quickly build up understanding. Speaking is different, that requires practice, lots and often. I live in Japan atm, and im still scared to speak to people, despite the fact I can easily converse via a keyboard with them.
SRS'ing with a program like these ^ , will help with the exact problem your mentioning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
