TL/DR: using taboo imagery or stories for hard to remember words/Kanji creates an additional and powerful neural route than simple rote memorization or general mnemonics.
What does coprolalalia (the involuntary obscene vocal tics some people with Tourette's Syndrome experience), the ability to swear even after a person has lost the general ability to speak from a traumatic brain injury or some dementia symptoms, and shouting profanity in highly stressful situations have in common?
Taboo language and ideas are stored differently in the brain than our normal language is stored.
Most language is believed to be stored in the frontal cortex of the brain. With words we use frequently this is a sufficient for recall.
Using the visual cortex to and hippo ampus to anchor new words in a foreign language adds additional pathways to improve memory retention, that's why mnemonics are powerful.
But, what about those pesky words you just can't seem to get to stick. No matter how many times you review them?
Maybe it's time to take that fresh squeaky clean word and get it dirty–sticky and gooey.
Why?
It is believed that in addition to the usual places a word is stored in the brain, taboo words, ideas, and gestures create emotional responses and get stuck/stored in the limbic regions of the brain (such as the amyglada), our most primal area of the brain. This area can really anchor an idea to your long-term memory.
I'm fairly certain if your native language is English, there have been times in your life where you hurt yourself (picture accidently hammering your thumb, instead of a nail) or you were emotionally hurt, frustrated, or down right furious. The first and possibly only word that erupts from your mouth is an f-bomb. This is believed to happen, because the rest of your brain is overloaded or shuts down for a moment.
Numerous cases of brain trauma patients have occured where the patient can no longer recall daily speech, but they can still swear. It is believed this is because the pathways to this area of the brain are still functioning.
Because taboo words are believed to be additionally attached to the limbic system, it is believed that these words are more difficult to inhibit and possibly one of the reason TS vocal tics tend to be taboo in nature.
You can use this unique function of the brain to help you add an additional route of recall for words you are having a difficult time with or Kanji. Make up a dirty story about the pictographs of a Kanji or the pnonetic sounds and tell that story every time you see that word/Kanji and it won't be long before that word/Kanji is unforgettable.
The key is to use this tactic sparingly. If everything is taboo, nothing is taboo.
If you are brave, tell me a dirty mnemonic you have used or will start using.
I'll go first. (In the comments).
by skullpocket