Ultimate Vocabulary Software

There are many ways to learn and remember new vocabulary words. Repetition is a common method, and writing out a word over and over and saying it out loud several times will definitely help that word stick in your mind. You can also increase your chances of remembering and later recalling a new word by using a mnemonic device.

Mnemonic (pronounced neh-MAH-nik) is an adjective that means “related to helping improve memory.” It’s also used as a noun, with the same pronunciation, and the meaning of “something that helps in remembering.” Here’s how the word is used in a sentence, first as an adjective and then as a noun:

Some memory-improvement courses focus solely on teaching you mnemonic tricks and ignore the importance of a healthy diet and adequate sleep.

The mnemonic HOMES is frequently used to help students remember the names of the five Great Lakes in North America (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).

The word mnemonic comes from the name of the ancient Greek goddess Mnemosyne, ruler of memory and mother of the nine Muses. A good memory has been a vital element of personal and professional success for thousands of years; in fact, at one time all information had to be memorized and recalled as part of the oral tradition that early humans had before the art of writing was invented and widely used. Even today, many traditional storytellers and poets keep hundreds of works in their memories to relate to the next generation. People have been working on mnemonic tricks such as linking, visualization, and abbreviation since at least the 4th century BCE.

So how can you use mnemonic devices to learn new English vocabulary words? You have several methods to choose from, but we’ll focus on two that will help with most words: visualization and linking.

Visualization is a good way to remember nouns, action verbs, and most adjectives and adverbs. By involving your imagination and your visual cortex, you’ll trigger activity in more parts of your brain, which will help solidify the memory and make it easier to recall the word later. If you draw a quick sketch illustrating the word, that will make an even stronger connection; using your hands brings in yet more parts of the brain and its neural energy. To practice this technique, think about how you might create visual images for the words memorabilia and commemorate.

Linking is a useful way to remember words that can’t be easily expressed in visual format. For example, the word remember might be illustrated by a picture of a head with a “thought bubble” over it with something inside, but how would you know that’s supposed to be remember and not visualize or imagine or think, or even the name of the object in the bubble? Instead of trying to create a complicated picture, link the word to another word or concept. Learning synonyms is a good way to create these linked groups, because it’s easier to think of a set of three or four related words than one alone. Link remember to recall, remind, recollect, and retain. This way, you’ll be able to call to mind several words, expanding your vocabulary and training your memory at the same time.

Cross-posted at the Ultimate Memory blog.

The process of vocabulary improvement is something that started when you were an infant, as you heard words and learned to attach them to people and objects around you. Later, you began connecting the sounds of words to their visual appearance and started acquiring new words each time your parents read a story to you as you followed along. Finally, you learned how to add words to your vocabulary both consciously as you were taught new words in school, and unconsciously by simply seeing a word enough times that it became part of your vocabulary automatically. As an adult, most of your vocabulary-building happens in this almost subconscious way. You learn new words by reading them in context; perhaps you look the word up, or just make your best guess at its meaning, but you probably don’t stop and say to yourself, “I must remember this word and make sure it’s part of my vocabulary.”

While rapid vocabulary improvement is best done by a focused study program, simply reading as much as possible will also gradually increase vocabulary. Obviously, the faster you read the more word’s you’ll see. In addition, the more words you know, the faster you’ll read, because you won’t have to slow down or stop to look up a definition. It’s best to develop an eclectic reading style so that you get the broadest possible range of words and see more than one way of using them.

The adjective eclectic (pronounced eh-KLEK-tik) means “drawing from a wide variety of sources and styles” and comes from the Greek verb eklegein (“to select”). Applied to reading, it means that you should avoid just reading things you’re familiar with; for example, if you normally only read spy thrillers, pick up a book on travel instead. It’s important to read many different things not only for the vocabulary, but also to see how different authors use the words. You can learn how to emphasize the beauty of words through poetry, and how to craft descriptive but to-the-point explanations by reading books on science or engineering that have been written for the general public. You’ll see examples of metaphor and simile, of conversational styles and narrative flow, and absorb new ideas along with the new words.

Cross-posted at the 7 Speed Reading blog.

With the start of the new year, many people make resolutions to improve themselves over the coming twelve months. We encourage you to think about adding one (or all ten) of these vocabulary-improvement resolutions to your list – they’re easier to stick to than a diet!

1. Learn at least one new word each day.
If you haven’t been focused on adding new words to your vocabulary, you might feel like your conversation has become dull and stagnant. You can create a renaissance of your communication abilities by resolving to learn new vocabulary words every day. For today’s word, focus on the word renaissance.

2. Make sure you’re spelling words correctly.
It might be tempting to use “text-speak” or abbreviations when you’re e-mailing a friend, but be sure that you know how to spell each word, especially when you’re first learning it. Doubled letters often cause problems; notice in today’s word that the n is not doubled, though the s is (a common mistake is to double both the ‘n’ and the ‘s’).

3. Focus on proper pronunciation.
The way you speak is just as important as the words you use. If you have a smooth and professional voice, and you pronounce your words clearly and correctly, you’ll immediately project an image of someone who is confident and knowledgeable. In the United States, renaissance is pronounced REH-nuh-zahns; in the UK it is often pronounced ruh-NAY-sahns.

4. Learn all definitions of a word.
The word renaissance literally means “rebirth.” When capitalized, the Renaissance refers to the 14th-century European cultural explosion as the continent recovered from wars and plague and rediscovered the arts of ancient Greece and Rome. As a regular noun, it means any new flourishing of something that had fallen out of use or fashion.

5. Know how to use words correctly.
You might have an extensive vocabulary, but it won’t do you much good if you don’t know how to use the words in context. When you’re learning a word, look for examples of how it’s used, and create your own practice sentences.
Example: The last few years have seen a renaissance in the arts of home canning, pickling, and even cheesemaking.

6. Add more to your understanding of a word through etymology.
While you can learn a word’s definition quickly, you’ll find that it has more meaning if you take the time to look up the word’s history and discover its origins. The word renaissance comes from French; as we said, the word means “rebirth” in that language as well as English. Looking back in time, the roots of the word are from the Latin prefix re- (“again”) and nascire (“to be born”).

7. Learn other ways to express a word’s concept.
When you learn a new word, look for its synonyms and learn those at the same time. This way you can double or triple the number of words you learn at once. Synonyms for renaissance are rebirth, revival, and regeneration.

8. Read as much as you can, from many different sources.
If you don’t have a habit of daily reading, now’s the time to start one. You’ll discover many new words by reading – many more than you’d hear from watching television or listening to the radio. Pick up a newspaper with your morning coffee and keep a book by your bed, and a notepad to write down the new words you want to learn.

9. Use the words you learn as often as possible.
In order to get comfortable with a word and to be able to use it easily and naturally, you need to practice using it. Find ways of including each new word in your conversations.

10. Let your enthusiasm be “born again” every day.
The more you study words, the more you’ll be interested by them (at least we hope so!). If you feel like you’re losing energy, just think about all the advantages an excellent vocabulary can bring you, both personally and professionally, and keep moving forward towards your goal of having the ultimate English vocabulary skills you need.

In many places around the world, people have been feeling economic stress, and unfortunately most of them are part of the group of low- to middle-income wage earners that don’t have a great deal of independent resources to draw on. When taxes are raised, it’s often these people who see the most impact, and when public services are cut, they’re also the ones who tend to suffer the most. Due to this widespread phenomenon, the Oxford Dictionaries editors in both the US and the UK have agreed that the global Word of the Year should be the term that was invented to describe this group of people: squeezed middle. Note: In a dictionary, a two-word phrase like this is treated as a compound word and considered one entry. While it’s not being added to the Oxford English Dictionary immediately, the editors will keep it on the list of possible official English vocabulary and eventually – if the term continues to be used, or has a significant impact over a period of time – it may become part of the official lexicon.

If you’re feeling like you’re definitely part of the squeezed middle, one of the best things that you can do is focus on improving your grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Most jobs these days have at least one component that requires an employee to be a literate and capable communicator, and the more you hone your skills with the English language, the more you’ll increase your chances of getting a good job and moving up to higher-paying positions. Make it your New Year’s resolution to spend at least 30 minutes each day in an activity that promotes vocabulary improvement: read as much as you can from a variety of sources; keep an eye out for and practice new vocabulary words you come across; play word-based games and puzzles; and make a point of using your newly-learned words in conversations or professional presentations. Squeeze as much vocabulary practice as you can into your day, and you’ll enjoy the benefits for years to come.

Did you not get all of the holiday gifts you wanted? Treat yourself to the Ultimate Vocabulary software system and open up a present that you’ll enjoy for all of 2012!