Still translating in my head (Questions About Your Target Languages) Language Learning Forum

Still translating in my head
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Language Learning Forum : Questions About Your Target Languages

18 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3

Calphidrewby13
Newbie
United States
Joined 5839 days ago
25 posts - 27 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: French, Swahili

Message 17 of 18

07 June 2009 at 7:51pm | IP Logged

I have a similar problem translating in my head. Recently, however I've begun attempting to learn by using mental pictures and emotions to remember words, as opposed to English equivalents. Therefore when I see the word again, my mind goes directly to the image or concept which the word stands for. I has actually been quite efficient.
1 person has voted this message useful

Cainntear
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Scotland
linguafrankly.blogsp
Joined 6003 days ago
4399 posts - 7687 votes

Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic
Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh

Message 18 of 18

07 June 2009 at 8:38pm | IP Logged

Calphidrewby13 wrote:

I've begun attempting to learn by using mental pictures and emotions to remember words, as opposed to English equivalents. Therefore when I see the word again, my mind goes directly to the image or concept which the word stands for. I has actually been quite efficient.

That's the right goal and it's how most successful learners work, but I'd qualify that by saying that I still need the English equivalent to make the image in my head in the first place. With the exception of "concrete" vocabulary like apple, chair etc., I need the emotional content that English provides in order to make the image. Being told "<word X> is a negative term for a man, also means one who engages in sexual self-gratification" in the target language is a lot less emotionally meaningful than saying "<word X> means 'w*nk*r'."

Edited by Cainntear on 07 June 2009 at 8:42pm
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