Resources for Anki

[Guest realmayo]

I think it's fine. The first time you heard the word 三明治 and realised what it meant might have been on a train journey. For some time after, you associate that moment on the train with the word. Later on, it becomes just another word that you know and any 'images' or memories or whatever that you relied on previously are no longer relevant.

[Shelley]

The point is, a picture is ALWAYS better than no picture, even if the picture is irrelevant.

 

I strongly disagree with this, I would even go so far as to say its ridiculous.

 

I don't usually feel this strongly about things like this because sometimes it is something subjective and there is no definitive answer but IMHO this is just plain wrong.

 

No picture is better than an irrelevant picture. end of.

 

 

 

Edit: Having just had a look at your web page, I now understand why you are so keen on pictures, but this still doesn't change my opinion.

[XiaoXi]

I strongly disagree with with this, and while a picture might help you remember a word in isolation in the short term, I wonder about its effect on long term language use to have a whole bunch of unrelated things associated with your vocab. 

 

As long as you remember the word and don't associate it with the English translation wherever possible then when you become fluent it will be accessed in your mind without this image. Its like you might remember a certain word's meaning because a particularly memorable event was associated with the first or perhaps subsequent hearing of that word. For example maybe a person you met while visiting a city in China used a word in an interesting way and it made you remember that you had just read it recently in your study book.

 

That will make that word stick in your head much better but that doesn't mean for the rest of your life using that simple word will always first invoke that stranger in your head. We all learnt our native languages in this way. Many words were memorised more quickly because of more memorable events associated with them.

[XiaoXi]

I strongly disagree with this, I would even go so far as to say its ridiculous.

 

Well it certainly helps with memorising. Just look it up. You need a lot of stimulation during memorisation to actually commit something to memory. Its like people who went through traumatic events never forget what happened and even little sensual stimulations can make them relive the event.

 

That's exactly why the vast majority of flash cards have pictures.

[Shelley]

Well you are entitled to your opinion. Telling me that it "certainly helps with memorising" and then telling me to "Just look it up" is a bit dismissive.

 

I don't disagree that pictures can be of help, what I do disagree with is,

 

The point is, a picture is ALWAYS better than no picture, even if the picture is irrelevant.

 

It seems patently obvious to me that this is wrong.

[XiaoXi]

It seems patently obvious to me that this is wrong.

 

Well you would know, having done all the research and all.

[Shelley]

No, I never claimed to have "done the research", that's why its "patently obvious" it doesn't need research, just common sense.

[Flickserve]

In multiple choice exams, if you see the word 'always', that's a free gift the answer is 'most probably' false. ;-)

[XiaoXi]

No, I never claimed to have "done the research", that's why its "patently obvious" it doesn't need research, just common sense.

 

How in the world can it be common sense? If there's been multiple studies proving that it is in fact true then you're not correct at all. Its extremely arrogant to say something is "patently obvious" when you've in reality absolutely no idea whatsoever.

[Shelley]

Well if you have done the research, explain to me how something irrelevant can be helpful.

[XiaoXi]

Horse.....water.....

[Shelley]

Well that's not very helpful. I think that probably this conversation is at an end.