Memorizing new words
presents a challenge
for most of us, but
fortunately there are
ways to tackle this
difficult task. From
extensive reading and
writing to flash cards
and word games, you'll
find a number of approaches
to consider. However,
most of these will take
more than two minutes
of your time. If your
objective is to check
off words from your
new vocabulary list
in quick fashion, then
you'll need to use a
technique that lends
itself to such speed.
In such cases, keyword
mnemonics may just be
the best choice. It's
quick and fun and most
importantly, effective.
Let's further examine
this remarkable memory
trick.
Keyword mnemonics manages
to link the new or unfamiliar
with that which we already
know. This association
helps create definitive
context for the new
word, thereby making
it easier for us to
remember it given that
we already know part
of it.
The "key" is choosing
a word or words that
sound similar to the
new word. The final
piece of the technique
is to then illustrate
this in a picture or
image in relation to
the new word's definition.
For example, "fjord"
is "a long, narrow arm
of the sea bordered
by cliffs." To remember
this, a student may
chose to link "fjord"
to "Ford" and then picture
a Ford truck stuck in
a body of water or a
fjord.
Vocabulary cartoons
are prime examples of
keyword mnemonics and
you can definitely create
your own. Once you get
the hang of it, you'll
start making associations
with greater skill and
more rapidity. If you
want to memorize new
words in under two minutes,
keyword mnemonics could
indeed be the answer.
If you can master it,
two minutes per word,
you'll memorize 30 in
an hour. Here are the
basic steps:
1. Choose a word/words
you know that sound
similar to the new word.
For example: Fjord and
Ford.
2. Relate the unknown
and known words to a
picture or image; i.e.
a cartoon.
3. Test the effectiveness.
Does the picture capture
the new word's definition?
Based on these steps,
here are a few examples
of what a keyword mnemonic
might look like for
the words: barrister,
fathom, and stolid.
Note: For many, the
more silly or outrageous
the image, the more
easily it can be remembered.
New word: Barrister
Definition: A British
lawyer.
Keyword: bear stir
Image: A bear in a powdered
wig stirring a drink
in a courtroom.
New word: Fathom
Definition: To comprehend,
understand.
Keyword: fat thumb
Image: A man with a
huge, cartoonish "fat
thumb," looking very
confused.
New word: Stolid
Definition: Expressing
little sensibility,
unemotional.
Keyword: stole it
Image: A thief casually
walking away with a
bag of loot from a safe
shaped like an igloo.
It's true that vocabulary
lists can be overwhelming,
with some being over
1,000 words long. Preparation
for vocabulary tests
will vary from student
to student, but when
time is of the essence,
a try at keyword mnemonics
may prove beneficial
to most. If you want
to learn new words in
under two minutes flat,
this is the technique
that enables you to
make the leap from the
unfamiliar to the familiar
fairly quickly. |
