Comments on: Practicing mnemonics http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/ Documenting my language learning progress Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:03:15 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Florian Lavoux http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-39 Florian Lavoux Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:26:50 +0000 http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-39 juste un petit commentairepour te dire que j'aprécie de te lire ;) juste un petit commentairepour te dire que j’aprécie de te lire ;)

]]> By: Josh http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-24 Josh Sat, 26 Jan 2008 13:55:46 +0000 http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-24 Yes, you're right - being able to come up with them quickly is pretty important, and certainly makes using them easier. Just to clarify (because from your response, I think I wasn't very clear in my first comment), I think mnemonics are fine - just as long as the learner doesn't take it to silly extremes, trying to come up with one for <em>every word</em> they learn. I've used them for many tricky German words that I've gotten stuck on. Once I came up with a mnemonic for them, they were stuck in my memory pretty well. Yes, you’re right – being able to come up with them quickly is pretty important, and certainly makes using them easier.

Just to clarify (because from your response, I think I wasn’t very clear in my first comment), I think mnemonics are fine – just as long as the learner doesn’t take it to silly extremes, trying to come up with one for every word they learn. I’ve used them for many tricky German words that I’ve gotten stuck on. Once I came up with a mnemonic for them, they were stuck in my memory pretty well.

]]> By: olivz http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-23 olivz Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:25:01 +0000 http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-23 I think the key is to come with the mnemonics instantly. Since I'm just a newbie at this mnemonics game, I'm still not able to do that, and that slows down the process. So I'm practicing to see if I can ever get to that point. So far though I found that it's really much easier to recall words/phrases if I have mnemonics for them. And I try to find interesting mnemonics since that's kind of fun. I don't use mnemonics for easy or rather obvious words, since that'd too much work, as you say. But I'm quite happy with Anki and my mnemonics so far. I've only got 83 facts in Anki, but I've pretty much learned them all after only 2-3 repetitions (5 is the magic word, I've heard). I think the key is to come with the mnemonics instantly. Since I’m just a newbie at this mnemonics game, I’m still not able to do that, and that slows down the process. So I’m practicing to see if I can ever get to that point. So far though I found that it’s really much easier to recall words/phrases if I have mnemonics for them. And I try to find interesting mnemonics since that’s kind of fun. I don’t use mnemonics for easy or rather obvious words, since that’d too much work, as you say. But I’m quite happy with Anki and my mnemonics so far. I’ve only got 83 facts in Anki, but I’ve pretty much learned them all after only 2-3 repetitions (5 is the magic word, I’ve heard).

]]> By: Josh http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-22 Josh Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:50:23 +0000 http://polyglottobe.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/practicing-mnemonics/#comment-22 I love Anki, but I've tried using mnemonics for vocabulary, and I'm not entirely sold on the idea. Certainly, they're useful for nailing down words that, for whatever reason, you just <em>can't<em> remember any other way. But if we're talking about learning a huge amount of vocabulary - say, over 1,000 words - I think trying to come up with a mnemonic for each one is just more work than it's worth. But, that's me. :) I love Anki, but I’ve tried using mnemonics for vocabulary, and I’m not entirely sold on the idea. Certainly, they’re useful for nailing down words that, for whatever reason, you just can’t remember any other way. But if we’re talking about learning a huge amount of vocabulary – say, over 1,000 words – I think trying to come up with a mnemonic for each one is just more work than it’s worth.

But, that’s me. :)

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