Improving_Foreign_Language_Vocabulary

Improving Foreign Language Vocabulary Various assessments have been used to determine language difficulty based on the ease with which infants learn a language as their primary tongue and how challenging a language is to learn as a second language by older children or adults The American State Department has compiled approximate learning expectations for a number of languages. Of the 63 languages analysed, the five most difficult languages to reach proficiency in speaking and proficiency in reading (for native English speakers who already know other languages), requiring a minimum of 88 weeks of intensive study are Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean. Japanese is considered to be the most difficult of the five. Learning a language as an adult strongly depends on the learner's native language. Therefore it is meaningless to make a universal ranking of difficulty. If you are learning Greek and already know or recall some French, you will spot many similarities in the grammar of the two languages. Native English speakers will learn German - and vice versa - much more easily than a native Japanese speaker would. In general, the closer the second language is in relation to vocabulary, sounds, sentence structure, culture, and other factors to the learner's native tongue and culture, the easier acquisition will be. When learning a foreign language you begin to learn how to learn languages in general, making it easier to understand how language and communication works. Vocabulary improvement is undoubtedly one of the key elements in any language learning process, regardless if you're learning French, English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese or any other language, no matter how "complicated" it is and what its rules are. Actually, obtaining an initial vocabulary base is one of the key elements you need to focus on when learning a foreign language and afterwards, increasing your vocabulary is a constant process to go through. The language we use programs our brains. Even the smallest of words can have the deepest effect on our sub-conscious mind. For example, the word "Try". It is a small word, yet it has an amazing impact upon us. If someone says, "I'll try to do that" you know that they are very likely not planning to put their whole heart in to it, and may not even do it at all. How often do you use the word try when talking about the things that matter to you' Do you say "I'll try to be more confident" or "I'll try to do that" or "I'll try to come, but I might not be able to make it to your party.” Using translated texts is a great way to improve your vocabulary, especially in the beginning stage of the language learning process, when you can't deduct words out of the context from a foreign text, simply because you don't understand it at all. Having a translation of the text however, allows you to form links between the words and their meanings. Obviously, it's important that these texts are kept simple and clean and that they don't use words that can have several meanings that would only confuse you. Mnemonics Although not necessarily a "new" method, mnemonics have been proven to be very effective in allowing students to memorize new words. The "trick" behind mnemonics is to link words in your native language to words in the new language and form visual images from the two. Oftentimes, these images will be far from common, sometimes they will be bizarre or interesting, which will only make them easier to be remembered. To give you some insight on how to use mnemonics, there is the "yellow ice" example used in several course books. The Spanish word for ice is "hielo" which resembles the English word yellow. This automatically forms a visual image of "yellow ice" which will help you remember the connection between the two. The Greek word for meat is “greas” (ΚΡΕΑΣ), which sound a little like “grey ass”. So, picture someone who sat on a bench that was just painted grey, and there you are! You will never forget how to say “meat” in Greek! The Dictionary method The Dictionary method is a continuous effort and unlike some of the other vocabulary improvement methods, it will not be very fast, but it will definitely be effective long-term What this method is all about is trying to learn a new word in the language you are studying on a daily basis. Open up the dictionary at a random page each day, spot a word you don't know and memorise it and what it means. This doesn't sound much indeed, but in fact you will be learning several words at once with the help of the dictionary's explanations. If you manage to form a study rhythm with this method, you will be on a constant vocabulary improvement streak. Something to bear in mind is that the vocabulary of a language is the main foundation that you will be working from and if this foundation is not strong enough, the other parts of the structure won't be extremely stable. Apart from the above-mentioned methods, you will be able to find several more on websites dealing with language learning techniques, some of which will prove to be well suited for you, whereas others might prove to be a waste of time. It will be your call to judge which ones you will take upon. Remember that having fun and enjoying yourself is very important when learning a new language, so any methods that might sound a bit tedious are best avoided. It is always best to choose methods that appeal to your personal taste. The Newspaper method Although attempting to read a Greek newspaper or magazine may be a bit daunting at first, picking one up and underlining a few interesting looking words will provide you with a bit of extra vocabulary to supplement a course you may be taking. Highlighting 4-5 new words, looking up their English translations and giving yourself a week to learn them will provide you with at least 20 new words a month. Flipping through the local news section of a newspaper might appeal to you more than a glossy celebrities magazine, or vice versa. It also goes without saying that apart from varying the subject matter, you can also vary the actual number of words you choose to learn each week.