Words are messy, fuzzy things and their meaning and usage is dependent on context. It is through exposure to context, lots of context, that we eventual y learn them. A word is most often acquired incidental y as we suddenly see it or hear it for the nth time. That is when we reach the tipping point in the understanding of a word, and the word becomes a part of us.
That tipping point can come at any time and the timing wil be different for each word.
Deliberate study of words, and for those who like them, memory systems, can help accelerate the process of reaching the tipping point.
However, it is important that the main activity remain listening and reading, and eventual y speaking and writing. The deliberate study of words needs to be very closely integrated with this listening and reading. It is important to strike the right balance between enabling learners to enjoy their listening and reading, and offering them an efficient support system to make sure that words are retained and the tipping point is reached earlier.
I think adults get more frustrated than young learners when they seem unable to remember things. They probably have poorer short term memory than younger students. Even high school and university students probably have an ability to cram information into their heads for exams that adult learners have lost.
So I believe you should not rely on memory to learn languages. Expect to forget most of what you learn. That is why consistent and intensive exposure through listening and reading to meaningful content is so important. Through the process of ingesting the language, often the same content, over and over again, you gradual y improve your ability to deal with the new language.
Of course it is also important to make the effort to learn the bits and pieces, the words and phrases. Flash cards or similar systems are very effective. Working on the words and seeing them again in different sentences that you have heard or listened to is a good exercise for the brain. It also helps you learn how to use them.
But when you seem unable to remember these words and phrases, do not worry. You are stil training the brain to process the new language. The effect of al of this is cumulative even if at times you feel you are just not improving. We al have a tendency to overestimate the possibilities of short term change and to underestimate the opportunities for long term change.
I have been asked in comments here what I think of rote memory as a language learning method.
I would imagine that memorizing texts could be an effective way to learn languages.
However, I would not do it, because it is not natural and not fun. I cannot imagine that I would do it more than once. It kind of takes the fun out of language learning. I do not mind listening to the same text over and over, even 30 or more times, if I like the content and the voice of the narrator. I can read the same text a few times. I can invest the time in learning the words and phrases from that text, especial y in a system like LingQ, using Flash Cards and other tools which make it rather painless. I just cannot get myself to memorize texts.
Even if I did memorize, how much can I memorize? I need to cover a lot of material. I need to cover more and more content in order to real y become comfortable in the language, and in order to learn al the words I need to know. I think memorization is limiting because it is too time consuming for a relatively smal amount of content.
What is more, I am driven by my interest in what I am reading. Memorizing would slow me down. So, for those who have the patience, go for it. It is not something that I use.
Five recommendations for lazy language learners, (which I think refers to most people.)
1) Spend most of your time listening, while doing other tasks. Listen over and over to a limited amount of content at first. Gradual y, as you get better, listen fewer times to the same content, and move on to more varied content. Try to listen to content you find interesting, and where you like the voice of the narrator.
2) Read what you are listening to in order to 'mine' it for words and phrases. Review these words and phrases regularly, without expecting to learn or remember them. Just try to notice them in your listening and reading.
3) Get the smal est grammar book you can find that explains the language in your own language. Read through it from time to time, skimming, without expecting to understand or remember any of it. Eventually it wil make more and more sense to you.
4) Never force yourself to speak. Speak when you want to, when you are ready to try out what you have learned. When you are with native speakers, relax, speak a little and listen a lot.
5) Do not worry about what you do not understand, nor about what you fo rget, nor about what you are unable to do in the language - ever!
I should add some additional tasks for the hard working learner.
1) Set weekly goals and stick to them.
2) Go for weeks without missing one day with the language you are learning.
3) Write at least once a week, and possibly once a day.
4) Connect with a tutor twice a week.
6) Spend 30 minutes a day reviewing words and phrases.
And find every opportunity to speak to native speakers!
It is a fact of life that language learning takes time. It takes a lot of exposure through reading and listening. It is another fact of life that many learners and even teachers are constantly looking for shortcuts. I often see lists of '100 common English expressions' ' or
'handy Italian phrases for travelers' or 'business terms in Spanish' or '50 everyday Mandarin situations?, ?common mistakes in English', 'irregular Spanish verbs', and on and on. The idea is that if you read the list of expressions, phrases, business terms, grammar mistakes, or read the 50 situations (at the bank, at school, at customs (perhaps the most useless of al ), at the store, on the air plane, at the train station, at a restaurant etc., you wil be able to use these words and expressions and phrases, and be able to communicate effectively at the bank, train station etc., or avoid grammar mistakes.
I do not think so. These pre-packaged lists or situations, or grammar books, are only a very smal part of what it takes to learn a language. In fact, in my experience of reading through such material, I always have the impression that I am learning something, but when I go to use the language I am quite unable to remember any of what I have read from such material.
On the other hand, if I do a lot of listening and reading and then review the words and expressions that were
