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Learners have often used mnemonic (memory aid) strategies when studying complex material, but this strategy has been less frequently and explicitly used in the study of language. For those of you who are learning Norwegian (or teaching Norwegian), I outline four basic approaches to mnemonic language learning below and briefly discuss the evidence for its application to cognitive processes.
For many of us, when we are looking for a lost object (for instance, a pen), we create a mental image in our minds of when we last used that pen. In creating a vivid picture of sitting at the kitchen table, penning a letter to Aunt Anna, we mentally walk through a space that has preserved the relationship between the pen (object) and the context of its use (writing at the kitchen table). In most cases, this strategy is very useful in locating a lost object. Some of the same strategic properties are involved in acquiring a new language. When trying to recall a word in a foreign language, we tend to rely on particular associations we have made between that word and the context of its use. For instance, when trying to remember how to say, "Good day!" in Norwegian, we recall that the man who tipped his hat to us earlier on the street had said, "God dag!" Recalling this event allows us to access information much more efficiently than does simple memorization of a word, reducing the "mental look-up time" that becomes so critical in social interaction. Because most language textbooks (especially older ones) offer extensive vocabulary lists with the Norwegian word listed on one side and the English translation on the other, many students make the mistake of trying to create an internal dictionary by memorizing these pairs together. This not only produces an extra (and unnecessary) step in the process, it also has the potential to create a great deal of confusion when trying to learn word order and gendered articles. While these dual language vocabulary lists can be useful for clarifying word meanings, in the long run they do not serve as useful learning devices. Using mental images, on the other hand, has a number of advantages. First, it reduces the number of steps (and processing time) required to identify the appropriate words and phrases. Secondly, it organizes information in a meaningful way, allowing you to access information about accurate wording and about appropriate contexts in which this wording can be applied. Take the example of the casual greeting above. Rather than taking the time to flip through your mental dictionary, this recollection not only provides you with the appropriate wording, but gives you an immediate context in which the wording can be used. Other information that gets unintentionally coded in your memory has to do with pronunciation, level of formality, use of body language, and the expectations that are involved in the exchange. Finally, there is an added benefit here in that the image allows you to anticipate what comes next. What did the man say after "God dag"? He asked, "Hvordan har du det?" and held out his hand with a look of friendly interest.
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