Studying Abroad: How Memory Works in Acquiring a Second Language

What I am often tempted to say, but I don't, is, "Well I can see that you've amassed a vast Spanish vocabulary using whatever method you use." And the truth is, 100% of those who have offered me objections about using The Substitute Word System cannot string two sentences together in Spanish without the greatest difficulty.

What we tend to forget and, in some cases, lose completely, is our child-like, God-given gift of imagination. We forget how to create silly, make-believe scenarios in our heads as we did when we were children. To use this system of memory training, we need to go back and start pretending again. Don't forget in the process of language learning, at least in the infancy stages-in the developing of the spoken fluency-we need to constantly do the following:

· The need to see the image over and over again

· The need to imprint the image

· The need to hear the word

· The need to make the associations

The way to do this is through the use of the mnemonic memory Substitute Word System.

So just how do we "go back" and start to be able to once again, as we did when we were children, imagining so that we can put together images? Well, in a word-CARTOONS. The best way to begin to slough off whatever "older adult" means and start strengthening your imagination is to start watching cartoons.

I have a confession to make. I am an avid fan of Sponge Bob Square Pants. Or, as he is called in Spanish, Bob Esponja Pantalones Cuadrado. This is an excellent cartoon that you can find on any cable Cartoon Network-START WATCHING IT TODAY.

From this, you can begin to recharge your imagination to come up with silly and insane pictures and images to use the Substitute Word System.

"All you have to do is think of something that sounds like that word-enough to remind you of it. This is The Substitute Word System of memory. A Substitute Word, phrase, or thought is used to enable you to visualize the under-ordinary-circumstance abstract "thing." "[1]

Let's try another word. I want you to see how I use the Substitute Word System so that you can get "a vision" for how this works. And let me say, the sillier the image and association between the Spanish word and its definition, the better the image will imprint on your Speech Center. I mean, just how absurd is it for a giant pear-complete with arms, legs, and a face--desperate with panic, to run into your bedroom to awaken you because he drove the car into the tar? But that is what helps me recall the Spanish word, despertar. Did you recall it also?

This memory system has been criticized for only providing help with nouns. After all, nouns are concrete and tangible. Take the Spanish word, la berenjena. This noun means eggplant.

I visualize a giant eggplant that looks very much like a Mr. Potato Head with arms, legs, and a mouth shaped into a stupid smile. He is dark purple, like an eggplant, but he has hunting gear on and is hunting.

He first shoots a bear, then a wren, and then a hyena.

The first syllable, ber, reminds me of the word bear.

The second syllable, ren, sounds to me like the English

word wren-the little sparrow-like bird.

Lastly, the third syllable, jena, reminds me of the word, hyena.

I put it all together into a little movie:

"Imagine a giant eggplant is hunting. He sees and shoots a bear, a wren, and then a hyena."

The point is the sillier, the more details you add to the image, the more bizarreness you can give to the action, the better it will be imprinted on your Speech Center. You might think of something entirely different. Whatever works for you is what you are shooting for.

Verbs can be a little tricky but we did one with the word, despertar. Verbs can be less tangible and harder but not impossible. Let's do another one:

Dirigirse-to address

dir-sounds like the word, deer

ri-sounds like the word, read

gir-sounds like the word, hear (this will be a soft "g" since it is followed by the "i"...gi will sound like "he" in Spanish, gi + r = hear)

se-sounds like the word, say

Imagine a deer in a dress shop reading a book at the counter when she hears someone from the fitting room say, "I want you toadd this dress to my bill."

What I have done is take a potentially intangible word, convert its parts (syllables) into something tangible with which I could create an absurd and silly image with action that played out, like a little movie, the word's definition.

Mnemonic memory techniques will aid you in continuing to build your speech center by mimicking perfectly the identical process you learned your native tongue:

· The need to see the image over and over again

· The need to imprint the image

· The need to hear the word

· The need to make the associations

I highly recommend you buy one of Harry Lorayne's books on memory improvement. He covers the learning of foreign language vocabulary and does a lot better job than I can in explaining the techniques and how to use them effectively.

Recommend Reading

All Web sites were active at the time of publishing.

Additional Self-Study Courses

· http://www.rosettastone.com

· Learn-spanish-software-review.toptenreviews.com

· http://www.200words-a-day.com

· http://www.LearnPlus.com

· http://www.learninglikecrazy.com

· http://www.orbislingua.com/ebfb.htm

· http://www.studyspanish.com/audiocourse.htm

· http://www.memorylifter.com/English-Spanish-Vocabulary-Flashcards-Kit.html

· http://www.learn4good.com/languages/spanish_lessons/free_cd.htm.htm

Books

How to Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own by Barry M. Farber

The Quick And Dirty Guide To Learning Languages Fast by A.G. Hawke

Why You Need a Foreign Language - And How to Learn One English Speaking Professionals and the Global Challenge by Edward Trimnell

Secrets of Learning a Foreign Language by Graham Fuller

Spanish Workbooks

· Workbook in Everyday Spanish Book I, Elementary/Intermediate (3^rd Edition), by Julio I. Andujar, Robert J. Dixson

· Spanish in Review, Workbook by John B. Dalbor, H. Tracy Sturcken

· Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses, by Dorothy M. Devney

· Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Pronouns And Prepositions, by Dorothy M. Devney

Spanish Language Reference

· 501 Spanish Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses in A New Easy-To-Learn Format Alphabetically Arranged, by Christopher Kendris, Theodore N. Kendris[2]

· 1001 Most Useful Spanish Words (Beginners' Guides) by Seymour Resnick

· Easy Spanish Phrase Book: Over 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use by Dover

· Merriam-Webster's Spanish-English Dictionary by Merriam-Webster

[1] Harry Lorayne's Page-A-Minute Memory Book; copyright 1985; Ballantine Books; page 13

[2] ***Highly Recommended***