There's a funny little expression in English for when our mind pretty much decides
to just stop working temporarily. Are you ready for it?
A brain fart!
It happens to us all and it's totally normal...
But that doesn't mean that it doesn't make us feel awkward, uncomfortable, or just plain stupid.
Today, I'll teach you how to handle the most common language learning brain fart:
blanking on a word or expression in the middle of a conversation, presentation, or test.
And how to maximize your chances that it won't happen to you.
At least, very often.
Is there a word that's similar to the concept of brain fart in your native language?
If there is, leave me a comment on this video to let me know what it is.
And don't forget to subscribe to the MosaLingua YouTube channel for more language tips and hacks.
Even in our native language, we all have moments when there's a word right on the tip of our tongue
but it doesn't want to come out, no matter how hard we try.
Sometimes, it's even a person's name, which can be really embarrassing.
But it happens more often to language learners
because their target language is less familiar than their native language.
Here are seven quick strategies to try when it happens to you during a conversation.
Remove distractions
First: remove distractions.
If you're trying to watch TV, listen to the radio, or text, and have a conversation at the same time,
your brain has less energy to focus on remembering words.
Give your brain all the help it can get!
Get rid of those distractions and stop trying to multitask.
Use hand gestures
Some studies even recommend using hand gestures
that are related to the word to help jog your memory.
Does that mean that Italians and Brazilians are better at remembering vocabulary?
Maybe...
Associating new words to specific movements
is also a good trick to help you memorize new words more easily.
Say the first sound out loud if you know it
if you can think of part of the word, especially if it's the first part,
say the sound out loud.
Studies have shown that sounds trigger memory retrieval
and usually when you have the first syllable or sound in a word,
it can be a big help for remembering the rest.
Try different combinations of the first sound with other sounds
and you may eventually get to the word you're thinking of, like this:
mmmmmm...
maaaaaa...
meeeeeee...
meeeeeee....
memory!
Define or describe the word
Then, if you're totally focused and the gestures and sounds aren't working, switch strategies:
define or describe the word you're thinking of using other words.
Think of it like the game show Pyramids or the board game Taboo
and it'll be a lot more fun and a lot less stressful.
At the beginning of your language journey, you should study words like
"person," "thing," and "place,"
in addition to some basic verbs so that you can more easily describe what the word is,
and what it does.
For example: "a place for sick people" could describe a doctor's office.
"A place for very sick people" could describe a hospital.
We learned this strategy from the famous polyglot Benny Lewis,
who defines these words as "power nouns."
Use synonyms
A similar strategy is to try to come up with a synonym to get around the word.
Maybe you can't remember the phrasal verb "working out,"
but you can remember "exercising."
Sure. It's not the exact phrase you were thinking of
but it's similar enough to get your message across just fine
Give examples
Likewise, you could use examples!
Examples of exercising could be "jogging," "lifting weights," or "going to Zumba."
Let it go
And finally, if none of that worked, move on.
You don't want to dwell too long on a word you can't remember
because that will only lead to frustration.
Besides, giving more context later on in your conversation
might also help the person understand what you meant to say.
And one bonus strategy, just because I think it's fun:
One researcher found that saying a swear word
decreases the likelihood that you will have a tip of the tongue moment
for the word immediately following the swear word.
I promise, I did not make that up!
If you implement this strategy in your daily life,
let me know in the comments if it works.
Now, it's great to have those strategies
but wouldn't it be even better if you could avoid that brain fart in the first place?
Like I said, it probably happens to you in your native language from time to time.
It sure happens to me!
So it's tough to avoid mental lapses altogether but there are ways you can prevent them,
especially with words you've already had trouble with in the past.
Check out Luca's video about how to never forget what you learn again.
I'll put the link in the video description for you.
There you have it!
Next time, when that word is right on the tip of your tongue but doesn't want to come out
try those different strategies.
Happy learning and see you again soon!
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See you next time!