To learn the meaning
of words is one thing,
but to memorize them,
you can't do so simply
by reading the dictionary.
Unless you're blessed
with a photographic
memory, that is. For
the rest of us, memorization
of new vocabulary words
benefits from context
and situation. This
presents the primary
hurdle that must be
overcome if new words
are to be memorized
properly.
One of the biggest
challenges is finding
a way to use a new word
in proper context; only
then can your mind process
its meaning and remember
it for future recall.
Aural and visual recognition
enables you to do just
this.
Indeed, to "know" a
word - that is, to recognize
it - is not enough.
You may have seen a
word before, but unless
you can use it correctly,
then you haven't really
learned it at all. Our
minds are filled with
words we've encountered
in our lifetime, but
those that we really
know are the ones that
we can use in everyday
speech and writing.
To build this treasure-trove
of words, you'll need
to make use of memorization.
To help, here are our
5 quick ways to help
expand your vocabulary:
1. Mnemonics: A very interesting word
in and of itself and
definitely one that's
hard to forget, mnemonics
(pronounced ne-mon-ics)
are the memory tricks
we employ to learn new
words. Aural and visual
aids that help us later
recall words within
the proper context/situation
and thus, fit to be
used properly in speech
or writing. From acronyms
to songs, mnemonics
helps us learn words
through simple association.
For instance, the word
"aural," which can be
defined as "of or pertaining
to the ear or the sense
of hearing," could be
remember by visualizing
a cross-section of an
ear, with sound waves
emanating from it, creating
a kind of "aura." This
image not only relates
the word to the ear,
but also, the act of
hearing. Another trick
to consider it to use
the word in a sentence,
"Aural spelling errors
include whether and
weather, their and there."
2. Everyday conversation: After learning a
word, to commit it to
memory, try and associate
it with a situation.
One way to achieve this
is to use it at least
once (soon after learning
it) within its proper
context. Thus, if you
learn the word "platitude,"
try and use it in a
conversation. If this
is too difficult to
do in an everyday discussion,
then consider doing
so in a short letter,
review, forum post,
or email. This directly
ties into our next suggestion:
writing!
3. Writing: It's
one of the lost arts
of the modern-day world,
what with all the short
cuts that exist via
text-messaging and email/online
language. The days of
beautiful letter-writing
have long gone and with
it, our vocabulary has
also been affected.
To improve upon yours,
one way to do so is
to write, write, write.
For new vocabulary words
especially, finding
ways to seamlessly integrate
them into your writing
could do wonders for
memorization. As said,
simply knowing a word
isn't enough. Being
able to apply it is
the bridge needed to
make it part of your
vocabulary. Writing
demands that you use
words properly. Challenge
yourself to be as eloquent
as possible, using your
new word-of-the-day,
even if it's just in
a journal entry to yourself.
4. Word-of-the-day: When learning a new
vocabulary, one of the
best things to do is
to not overload. Expanding
one's vocabulary is
a life-long task and
what needs to be remembered
is that once a word
is learned, it's for
life. By contrast, if
you bombard your mind
with hundreds of words
at once, it becomes
more difficult to create
individual situations/context
for each and thereby,
memorization could be
short-lived. Word-of-the-day
calendars for instance,
aim to teach you one
new word per day, giving
you time to use it within
24 hours, in a piece
of writing, a chat,
a soliloquy. (Review
is always helpful.)
If you're studying vocabulary
lists though, try and
learn 20 or so words
in every set. By dividing
lists into such sections,
you'll be able to pace
yourself better, as
well as backtrack more
easily, should you need
to.
5. Games, puzzles,
and anagrams: If
you wish to personally
challenge your mind,
then nothing could be
better than word puzzles
that do just that. From
crosswords to Scrabble,
there are a number of
approaches to take that
will demand you engage
your brain's collection
of words. If you perform
such exercises over
and again, it will aid
you in learning new
words too. As your vocabulary
expands, the well you
effortlessly pull from
will as well. |
