Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann FOUR easy steps to remembering vocabulary
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Aug 28, 2025 Explore the nuances of truly knowing a word beyond simple memorization. Discover the importance of context and comprehension in vocabulary acquisition. Unpack the mnemonic FOUR—Focus, Organization, Understanding, and Relating—as a powerful strategy for memory retention. Learn how personal experiences can enhance your learning journey and make vocabulary stick more effectively.
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What It Means To 'Know' A Word
- Knowing a word can mean different things: recognition, contextual understanding, or active use.
- Word counts indicate potential and past effort, not current active ability.
Huge Vocabularies, Limited Production
- Steve notes he has huge vocabularies in some languages but cannot always produce or fully understand those words in context.
- He uses his LingQ counts as motivators rather than strict measures of present ability.
Memory Versus Retrieval
- Memory and retrieval are distinct: unused items get filed away and become harder to access.
- Steve highlights a Harvard article recommending a mnemonic to improve retrieval.