Ask HN: What app features actually help vocabulary stick long-term?
2 pointsby hussein-khalil2 days ago1 comment
  • vunderba2 days ago
    Unless you’ve got an eidetic memory, the only things that will really make them stick long-term are consistent reinforcement either through practical application (e.g., immersion) or spaced repetition (SRS).

    I personally take the time to create visual and often highly inappropriate mnemonics for each new vocabulary word I learn, connecting the foreign language’s sound to an English homophone.

    The upfront cost is significantly higher, but it pays off since my long-term retention rate significantly improves though you won't see me publishing a shared Anki deck for the public any time soon.

    Quick SFW Example: The Russian word for "bed" is "кровать" which sounds a bit like cravat which is a kind of scarf.

    Then a sample story might be, "A distinguished and dapper gentleman with a luxuriously thick fur cravat lays down in his bed. He proceeds to unroll the cravat to fashion a comforter blanket to keep him warm before going to sleep."

    • hussein-khalil2 days ago
      This makes a lot of sense. I really like the point about the upfront cognitive cost that matches my own experience too.

      What you’re describing feels very close to why “personal” content sticks better: the story, the emotion, and the effort are all doing the heavy lifting, not the tool itself.

      • vunderba2 days ago
        Yeah the personal part makes a huge difference. I experimented with automating LLM generated mnemonics about a year ago but when I shopped it around with a couple of friends for internal testing, we found that it wasn't nearly as effective as when they came up with the stories themselves.