Each person has to develop their own tools and strategies for memorizing vocabulary.
Although I have tried Anki and don’t believe it is for me, I do work with lists that I compile on different Excel spread sheets that are helpful. I review them regularly while walking, in the doctor’s waiting room, or at other times. I space my repetition over reasonable amounts of time (SRS?) and try my best to remember what I can. Also my reading of books is of course very helpful for retention.
But here is the question: how do you handle definitions of words that just don’t stick in your memory? I mean I repeatedly put them in the brain but when I go there to take them out they don’t seem to be where I put them.
Words I am currently working on that challenge me for recall of their specific meanings are the following:
partir
sortir
laisser
s'en aller
s'éloigner
aller
lâcher
quitter
or…
porter
apporter
rapporter
apporter
emporter
remporter
or
amener
emmener
mener à
Do you folks have tips or tricks that help you with definitions? I also sense that building a Memory Palace or sheer bludgeoning with time (which I have tried) is not going to help me here.
Thanks.
The Memory Thread
- Carmody
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- blaurebell
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Re: The Memory Thread
For me all it needs is the context of a good book. All the words you list are very common, so will be repeated *a lot* in any book. Pick an easy book - young adult translations from English are perfect - and start reading with a dictionary. After you looked up s'éloigner 30 times you'll probably remember it, especially if it appears as the crucial verb in the context of one or two sentences of the book that hold the story together. I don't use any other form of memorisation because I get plenty of repetition through reading. You also don't have to remember all words you read. Any word that might only appear once or twice in the whole book probably is not important enough to remember precisely. Maybe after 20 books it will stick and if not, it's not so bad either. With Anki I always had the problem that I was never sure whether I would even need the word again. Even frequency lists make no sense, because often they are compiled from media I don't consume - newspapers for example. With intensive reading each word is automatically relevant and necessary for the story you're reading. For me that's a good motivator to actually remember the words.
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Re: The Memory Thread
blaurebell
Thanks so much. Your advice is so down to earth and practical; I will definitely apply it.
I love reading in French and look forward to doing lots so your advice is especially helpful.
It seems as if there is hope for me yet.
Thanks.
Thanks so much. Your advice is so down to earth and practical; I will definitely apply it.
I love reading in French and look forward to doing lots so your advice is especially helpful.
It seems as if there is hope for me yet.
Thanks.
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Re: The Memory Thread
Context is best for me - being able to get a sense of the meaning from whatever's going on. If I can link it to a visual, even better. If a word has many definitions, I no longer try to learn all of them at once. For example, I'm currently using LWT, and I just put in the most common definition, plus the definition according to the context in which I've just encountered the word. I may add other definitions as I come across them. Finding a cognate definition, or linking it to a known word in the same family, will give my brain something to initially latch on to. Typing in the definition for each conjugation I encounter really cements things!
In uni, I studied for vocabulary tests using word lists. I got 95-100% on every one, but the week after I'd have forgotten most of the words, which I put down to a lack of context. I doubt I'll use that method again (unless I have a test to cram for!). Memory palaces are unlikely to work for me, and mnemonics don't seem terribly efficient (or effective, in my case).
You have some very common verbs in your list, so I wouldn't worry about those too much: either you'll come across them often enough that they will just sink in, or your overall level in French will improve to the point that it becomes easier for your brain to retain things.
Also, something I've learned the hard way: don't translate things into English all the time in order to understand words. Learning to understand L2 words instinctively (i.e. the way you do with English) will make things a heck of a lot easier.
In uni, I studied for vocabulary tests using word lists. I got 95-100% on every one, but the week after I'd have forgotten most of the words, which I put down to a lack of context. I doubt I'll use that method again (unless I have a test to cram for!). Memory palaces are unlikely to work for me, and mnemonics don't seem terribly efficient (or effective, in my case).
You have some very common verbs in your list, so I wouldn't worry about those too much: either you'll come across them often enough that they will just sink in, or your overall level in French will improve to the point that it becomes easier for your brain to retain things.
Also, something I've learned the hard way: don't translate things into English all the time in order to understand words. Learning to understand L2 words instinctively (i.e. the way you do with English) will make things a heck of a lot easier.
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Re: The Memory Thread
I must admit having fallen into the trap of memorising vocabulary. I now have a great French vocabulary of different types of trees, birds and fish, even though I'll struggle to tell the difference between un hêtre and un orme, English or French.
I thoroughly recommend watching Anthony Lauder's "Polynot" presentation (below) or you could alternatively read the transcript here, but the video is quite entertaining.
I thoroughly recommend watching Anthony Lauder's "Polynot" presentation (below) or you could alternatively read the transcript here, but the video is quite entertaining.
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Merci de corriger mes erreurs !
Merci de corriger mes erreurs !
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Re: The Memory Thread
A few more things I've just thought of...
Having a rough idea of the meanings of prefixes and suffixes might be helpful.
Thinking of a context that is personal to you, e.g if you wear glasses, then the sentence je porte des lunettes (and also picturing that) will help you remember porter. A few months ago, I found a pesky moth in my wardrobe. I looked up moth afterwards, and even though I haven't said or read it anywhere since, un mite is etched onto my brain.
Having a rough idea of the meanings of prefixes and suffixes might be helpful.
Thinking of a context that is personal to you, e.g if you wear glasses, then the sentence je porte des lunettes (and also picturing that) will help you remember porter. A few months ago, I found a pesky moth in my wardrobe. I looked up moth afterwards, and even though I haven't said or read it anywhere since, un mite is etched onto my brain.
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Re: The Memory Thread
Carmody,
You made three lists of related words where the nuances between them can be harder to suss out. They describe a similar concept but vary in usage. Have you been trying to memorize definitions here FR -> EN? I think you may be better off reading threads on wordreference either in French or both French and English and trying to really understand the differences between the relationships.
You made three lists of related words where the nuances between them can be harder to suss out. They describe a similar concept but vary in usage. Have you been trying to memorize definitions here FR -> EN? I think you may be better off reading threads on wordreference either in French or both French and English and trying to really understand the differences between the relationships.
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But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
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Re: The Memory Thread
My thanks to everyone for their comments.
Jim
Thanks especially for the video; very interesting.
People may also find this one of interest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q3Mf1Nwfkw
It definitely gives me hope.
Jim
Thanks especially for the video; very interesting.
People may also find this one of interest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q3Mf1Nwfkw
It definitely gives me hope.
Last edited by Carmody on Thu May 04, 2017 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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