Zettelkasten to learn a foreign language?
**Has anyone used Zettelkasten to learn a foreign language? ** How would one connect/link individual vocabulary words that one learns daily? Zettelkasten is all about linking and connecting, which is tends to make it difficult to make zettels with random individual new foreign vocabular words.
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I haven't done this, but I see no reason why you couldn't use a ZK for that purpose. It seems to me that the linking capabilities between notes is just what you need to associate new vocabulary words or terms with similar ones that you've already learned. You could use structure notes to build higher level associations, e.g., for terms all related to one subject.
Thanks for your advice. Your recomendation does make sense— ie learn based on theme/category and those theme acts as "parent" zettel and synoyms act as "sibling" zettel.
I confess, I'm new to Zettelkasten. I've read the book and serveral articles but I've only been practicing for a few mont hs now. The confusing part for me is that Zettelkasten (and First Principal Thinking for that matter) adheres to the concept of no categories. I find it hard to link without categories.
@GeoEng51 , I do entend to use it based on your recommendation but is that Zettelkasten? If not, is there a way to adapt to the no category premise?
If I'd use my ZK to learn a foreign language I'd process child books as if it was serious.
I am a Zettler
I think the underlying, essential part of a Zettelkasten is the linking of notes in an organic way into a network that has no pre-determined structure.
However, that's not all there is to a Zettelkasten. If you read further on the forum or stay on it for a while, you will see that there are a variety of ways that people introduce organizational elements into their ZK, such as using "structure notes" and "hubs", and using tags. Any or all of these can be used to form categories. Is it still a Zettelkasten? You bet.
Zettelkasten is a very flexible system. Each person is free to use (or not use) whatever elements they wish, and you will see in the forum that people come up with new organizational elements. You should read up on some of these organizational elements in the Getting Started section of https://zettelkasten.de/posts/overview/ , then feel free to experiment and find what suits your way of thinking and the purpose for which you are creating a ZK.
Have a look at a post I made here with some additional information that might be helpful:
https://forum.zettelkasten.de/discussion/comment/9692#Comment_9692
Don't make the mistake of thinking that ZK is an inflexible system that has to be implemented a certain way to be correct. This comment applies not only to organizational elements but also to how a zettel (a single, atomic note) is written. You will see both topics debated with great pleasure and in great detail on the forum - all part of the fun of the journey.
Language learning is about pattern recognition and practice. Mostly pattern recognition. You'd better of using space repetition software than a Zettelkasten. The ZK can be helpful as if you wanna be a pro skater and have a ZK about skating.
Search for the input hypothesis and AJATT (no textbooks, no classes). That's how I learned japanese on my own in months before living in Japan and using the language for university, banking, and casual conversations. When I learned English I didn't know about all this so it took forever to learn it.
EDIT: Thinking about it, what a ZK can help in language learning is for creating structure notes or specific projects about your target language. A quick example, I could write a structure note with all the resources I have of people speaking the way I'd like to speak (movies, TV shows, books, podcasts), and another section with all the formal speaking that could be useful someday like (TV News anchor, train announcer, airport conversations).
@GeoEng51 Thanks for the info/link. I think your idea of tagging would probably work best—it is a "form of category" but adheres to non-category idea in that it can link/connect to any other ZK and still not be limited to a category.
@Splattack Stephen Krashen's theory on Input hypothesis ﹠ Comprehensible Input is quite interesting, and make sense!
I agree with you on space repetition for language learning. What program/software do you use? I've heard of Anki but I wonder if it has a hyperlink option; if so, it can "act" like a Zettel card.
Looks like from your recommendation and @GeoEng51 , the best option would be to have a Zettel card for every vocabulary word and an Index/Structure note as a theme list for the Zettel card.
I appreciate the help!
I've been using ANKI for kanji as my space repetition software (SRS) since 2009. My advice for language learning is, learn everyday words and simple grammar (deliberate practice, it should feel hard). Use SRS for them. Then move into sentences. Those sentences should never come from textbooks, always from sources made-by and for-native-speakers. Get them from songs, books, comics, podcasts, TV. Anything that is fun to watch or listen. Those sentences will go into your SRS separately. Eventually you'll be able to pick up new grammar just by listening, and occasionally you could look up into grammar from a textbook.
Seems to me like a fun idea, and the way I'd approach it is to start working in the ZK using the new language. Then it's less about the elementary aspects of learning the language, and more about making a sustained effort to express myself in that language.
I'm new to Zettelkasten, but not new to studying Russian. I may seek to create notes for new words (or some words I already know) which include a couple of sentences using different declensions, and perhaps singular/plural, genres, present/past/future. Then hopefully I'll connect notes that use the same declension and other characteristics. Not sure how this will unfold, but I'm kind of optimist.
Vote no on ZK for foreign language learning. Do all the other stuff, flash cards, spaced repetition, practice free speaking and retrieval, foreign language apps, watching Netflix in your desired language, websites where you can talk to a native speaker, etc.
I would use ZK to process ideas about a foreign language, country, culture, and history. I would instead use immersion as the primary tool for language learning itself. In my experience as a tutor, ESLs who score high on SAT use English in daily life, say reading blogs, books, and watching news in English; those who struggle default to their mother tongue whenever English isn't strictly needed.