Mnemonic strategies have had undeniable and particular success in the learning of other languages.
However, if you can make a meaningful connection, that will be more effective.
For example, in Spanish the word “surgir” means to “appear, spout, arise”. If you connect this to the word “surge”, from the Latin “surgere”, “to rise”, then you have a meaningful connection, and you won’t have much trouble when you come across the word.
However, if your English vocabulary does not include the word “surge”, you might instead make a mnemonic connection, such as “surgir” sounds like “sugar”, so you make a mental image involving spouting sugar.
Now, imagine each of these situations. Imagine you don’t come across the word again for a month. When you do, which of these connections is more likely to bring forth the correct meaning?
But of course, it’s not always possible to make meaningful connections.
The thing to remember however, is that you haven’t overcome the need for repetition. These strategies are adjuncts.
The basic principle must always be remembered: Memory codes are made stronger by repetition. Links are made stronger by repetition. If you don’t practice the mnemonic, it won’t be remembered.
The same is true for any connection, but meaningful connections are inherently stronger, so they don’t need as many repetitions.
If you are learning a new language, you are going to have to learn at least 2000 new words. Does the keyword mnemonic hold up in those circumstances?
The keyword mnemonic (which we have discussed in our previous weekly articles) has been used in real world situations to great success (intensive language courses) since it was discovered.
The keyword strategy does take time and effort to implement, and may well have disadvantages if used to excess. Some words lend themselves to other techniques.
At least for more experienced students (who will have a number of effective strategies, and are capable of applying them appropriately) the keyword strategy is probably best used selectively, perhaps for particularly difficult items.
