Learning Vocab without Studying Vocab (Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies) Language Learning Forum

Learning Vocab without Studying Vocab
Tags: Vocabulary learning
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Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies

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Serpent
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Russian Federation
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Message 65 of 67

24 July 2013 at 8:10am | IP Logged

s_allard wrote:

With respect to the OP, I think that much of the recent discussion says that for most people learning
vocabulary requires studying. Admittedly, studying does not have to be formal or elaborate but the idea that
an adult learner could just absorb the language without any effort through repeated exposure is something
has very weak scientific foundations.

That said, there are certainly examples of people, I thinking particularly of uneducated immigrants, who find
themselves plunged in a different linguistic environment and have to acquire some knowledge of the language
on their own. The results are usually not very good.

And on the other end of the scale there are linguists for whom the comprehensible input threshold is lower (of course only those who already speak an L2). Especially among the speakers of Slavic languages there seems to be a crazy amount of variation depending on the exposure, experience and understanding of linguistics. Oh and let's not forget the closely related languages such as the Scandinavian or Iberian ones. Yes, that's only passive vocab, but I see no reason why it would be different for the active vocab - and I honestly think most "passive" learners just don't do enough listening.

...Or possibly reading, as in your example with "uneducated immigrants", some of which are illiterate. But it's possible for them to make up for that by being very talkative - if they can find friends who are fluent in the language. Finally, all sorts of casual learners can stop improving when there's no urgent need to improve; someone whom you label an uneducated immigrant will simply reach this point sooner.

Edited by Serpent on 24 July 2013 at 8:27am
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patrickwilken
Senior Member
Germany
radiant-flux.net
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Message 66 of 67

24 July 2013 at 10:15am | IP Logged

kujichagulia wrote:

How did you do this within Anki? Did you put the word and the sentence on the same card? Or did you have one card with the word, going from L2->L1 and vice versa, and another, separate card with the sentence?

I have a card for the L1-L2 word pair, and separate cards with L2 sentences as the question, with either a blank answer, or a cue for words I am uncertain about.
2 persons have voted this message useful

luke
Diglot
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United States
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Message 67 of 67

24 July 2013 at 11:36am | IP Logged

What I like about Assimil and bilingual texts of relatively easy audiobooks for beginner and intermediate levels is the additional level of mental organization. Not only is one getting familiar with words in sentences, but also sentences in a wider context. This is invaluable for things like prepositions as well as nouns, adjectives, connecting phrases, and idioms.

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