Don’t memorize vocabulary. Do this instead

CC subtitles available in multiple languages.

In this video I discuss some common misconceptions about language and vocabulary acquisition and share my strategy for learning vocabulary in a new language.

⏲️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 learning vocabulary
0:44 the importance of vocabulary acquisition
2:28 myth 1: home environment
4:01 myth 2: being corrected
5:40 myth 3: Chomsky's universal grammar theory
8:07 how much time should we spend on deliberate learning?
10:57 the best way to acquire vocabulary

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[Thelinguist]

❓How do you like to learn vocabulary? Let me know in the comments!

[michelpetrus]

1- Learn whole sentences instead of words
2 - Study conversations about your domain of interest and if possible try to recite them (it don’t have to be perfect)

Words learnt this way cannot be forgotten, and you will sound much more natural by mimicking natives sentences.

[LuanFranca_]

I'm a police officer in Brasil, and hope to learn other languages to visit more countries and know many cultures. This channel helps me to understand how I can improve my english, thanks!

[nellz]

J'ai 69 ans et j ai commencé l'etude du russe. Merci pour vos précieux conseils qui me permettent de trouver les bonnes stratégies d'apprentissage.

[heyhey]

Advice:
1. Study throughout the day and not all at once.
2. If you are not mentally able to study for more than an hour, then study that one hour and spend some time watching a series (like an anime) in the target language. The latter will improve your listening skills and familiarize you with more vocabulary and expressions.

[ibrahimbyrakceken]

I feel frustrated and hopeless sometimes but watching you gives me hope. thank you

[BrettVano]

I deeply appreciate your contribution to these conversations, Steve. I'm both a language learner and a music teacher, and your thoughts have benefitted both of those pursuits for me. Thank you!

[juanitotucupei]

Above and beyond the great advice, Steve just inspires me to keep going.
That's why I keep coming back to his channel.

[Yarmak]

Thanks man for your work! You really make me inspired. Sometimes when I'm frustrated and hopeless because of my failures I just watch your videos and understand it's just part of learning process which I need to accept.

[coolbrotherf]

I think some deliberate vocabulary practice is really helpful for complete beginners. Learning common nouns and verbs with some flash cards can be really helpful to get started with basic reading.

[modalmixture]

The learning vs acquisition divide is similar to how we taught AIs to use language. At first we tried to teach computers explicit grammar rules and lists of vocabulary. But language is too complicated and contextual and that approach didn’t work very well.

Now we have far more complex neural networks that cannot be directly programmed - they must learn language iteratively by repeated exposure to vast quantities of training material from the real world: Input. During the training they encounter a word like “love” used in millions of different contexts, and somewhere in the network a cluster of neurons begins to ‘acquire’ the concept of “love”, linking it to related words and concepts. Each training pass shapes the model ever so subtlely, until something like understanding emerges.

Every time I do some focused listening in my target language, I imagine something similar happening in my brain.

[heisenbergwalter]

it’s easier to learn vocabulary directly than to continually look for ways to learn vocabulary

[wrathofcorn]

These videos always encourage and inspire me, thanks Steve!

I recently increased the intensity of my Japanese study, I have a 2-3 hour-long conversations a day in Japanese. And outside of that, I'm reading and watching things in Japanese. It's a lot of fun but burnout feels like it's on the horizon. After watching these videos about language learning, it always reinvigorates me and pushes that horizon further away.

[theonewhogiveslikes]

I learn faster by experience than studying

[Tehui]

Another great video. The person who supports your videos with the graphics does a good job. Ngā mihi ki a koe! All the best from New Zealand.

[smoothbanana]

I've always been a good speller, but I always had to write it down first. I would then look at it and know if it was right or wrong. I'm sure many people have similar experiences, whether it be music or dress sense. Once you've had enough meaningful interaction with something, you just know when something is off.

[zbttmot]

Steve tou are the reason I have loved language learning and I am learning French now

[eavesdropenglish]

Oh my gosh, I'm an English language teacher who grew up in an environment where people said, "Would have went." and "Should have went." I love that you used that example. My partner is also a language teacher and despite frequent corrections and my knowledge of grammar and modals, I STILL slip into this regional grammar usage.

[bulenthide]

You are inspiring people. This is very precious. Thsnk you.

[antonomaseapophasis]

Very comprehensive presentation!
I received it in the context of a person who is functionally fluent in a second.language that was haphazardly acquired, and acquired through a personal relationship.
Your discussion resonated with my experience and clarified my plans to learn German and Arabic, and improve my Italian.
I would add that in my relatively strong second language (French), writing has been an important means of actually situating myself in the language. My greatest obstacle in French is speaking English with French words.
Writing about various topics in French is an opportunity to enter into the idiomatic nuance of the language.