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Learning a new language can be a difficult task. But if you use these simple memory exercises/techniques you could be start learning a new language in no time.

Memory technique A: The One Hundred Words

There’s not a lot to say about this particular technique. I know it works for me. The idea is that you only need a 100 strong words to cover over 50% of all words used in a conversation. By learning those 100 strong words you are one step ahead in speaking a new language or at least perform a basic conversation.

But what are those 100 strong words? It depends on the language and yourself. It’s up to you to decide on the strong words since each individual uses and/or is affected by words in a unique way. You can create a list of words and keep adding words to the list. Start with the ten first numbers from one to ten. Then add words you use very often. You must find the hundred top words of your everyday vocabulary.

After you’ve finished your word list in your native language write down the words from the foreign language next to the words from your native language. Exercise on learning/memorizing the new words and you will notice significant improvement in the way you talk to others using the foreign language.

Memory technique B: The Mnemonics

The idea behind this technique is to use images to link words between your native language and the foreign language. What you do is to associate all words with images in your mind. Then you start linking words by connecting images and create new.

Here’s an example of how to create images of words in your mind:

You want to learn the Greek word for the English word “Eagle”. First you imagine an eagle opening its huge wings and flying over the mountains. After creating that image in your mind its time to look at the Greek word which in this case is “Aetos”. When you read/say the Greek word, try to picture the same image in your brain, the one of the eagle flying through the clouds. That way your brain will instantly create a connection between the new word and the image of the eagle. This technique will help you learn and remember new words effectively and easily.

Memory Technique C: The Environment Mnemonic

This method is quite sophisticated and is based on the fact that the basic vocabulary of every language is somehow connected/linked to everyday things in your environment (You should define your environment, whether it is a room, a house, a village, a city etc). You should start with a place/location you are familiar with. The idea is to start connecting words with objects/locations in your environment.

For example you could associate in your mind the word “Library” with an image of the local library and the word “Book” with images of the books inside the library. You could associate the word “Park” with a park in your town and the word “Tree” with the trees in the park.

This method is so fun and easy when trying to create phrases by using a combination of the above memory techniques. You could easily create an image of a phrase like this one “..I went to the local library to get a book and then I went to the park to read the book..”.



By: Maria Markella

About the Author:

icans only know one language, English. Most of us went through high school and studied Spanish or maybe even French, for 2 or more years. Some of us even studied more during college have as much as 5 or 6 years with a foreign language, but we still couldn’t communicate in the language. On the other hand, in most other countries, people know 2, 3, 4, or even more languages. Also, they know the language well enough to communicate.

Why is this? Why does it seem so much more important to other countries to learn a foreign language than in America? What is the importance of foreign language study? Foreign language knowledge has become more important today than it has in the past largely because of globalization. Take business for example. How many items that you buy are from the U.S. and how many are from other countries? Businesses are becoming worldwide expanding beyond the United States.

Globalization has been helped along extensively by the internet and communication. We can send an email to someone in China just as fast as someone next door. Communication between countries, cultures, and languages has become simplified and very simple. What does this have to do with learning a foreign language?

First of all, many countries in Europe and Asia are much smaller than the U.S. and yet the neighboring country speaks a completely different language. They must learn that language if they want to go their and communicate. America is quite large and most people don’t find it necessary to learn another language. Now that we are becoming more globalized, it is more important that we begin to learn other languages. If I wanted to go to Italy to visit, it would be very difficult for me to get around if I don’t know a word of Italian, especially if I don’t even have a phrasebook or dictionary.

The internet has allowed us to get even closer with other cultures that speak other languages. For those who want to communicate with them, they may have no choice but to learn their language. Or, if someone is in business and is taking a trip abroad, they need to know their language in order to communicate. This is why those who go to school for International Business must take a certain amount of credits in a foreign language.

Learning a foreign language may be necessary for some in their careers and for others, they may just want to learn it for fun or for a trip abroad. If you want to become a world traveler, it is not required that you learn every language of every country you visit, but learning the language of just one country will make visiting that country that much more enjoyable. Have you every come across someone who doesn’t speak English or at least not very well? It was probably frustrating trying to communicate with them. This is what it would be like if you visited a country where they didn’t speak your language.

You may want to learn one more language just to impress your friends or you may want to learn several languages so that you can live abroad. Whatever your reason, learning a foreign language is a great experience and is something you will always be very happy you did.

By: Samantha Asher

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