Is it possible to memorize the whole dictionary?

kat   Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:54 pm GMT
Why in the world would any one want to memorize it? Is there a need in the first place? My parents do not know the intire dictionary yet they still make money. Besides, why memorize the dictionary, why we have it is to look up the meaning of words.
Frodo   Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:09 pm GMT
Read a lot and you will memorize thousands of words in a more natural and a more menaingful way. After all, the dictionaries are not passed down to us from God, they are just a description of the language that is actually used in myriads of texts. So the more texts you read the richer your vocabulary will become without the absurd need to memorize by heart the whole Oxford dictionary or the whole Wikipedia or whatever...
Tommy Chen   Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:52 pm GMT
Hello, Im from China, Im also one of the English fans.
I have been memorizing the whole Dict of Oxford for more than half an year since i was in college, but now i resume to memorize the dict ,all as to work for commercial purpose , coz Im working in a company which it is one of our investors! and we are going to start our training market in 2007, and we are making our efforts, of course includes me! I do really think it is very very hard to memorize, and i need to review them occassionally that in order to keep the long-term memory , i did try , and until now , i have memoried about four major characters , the big words begins with S, P,C, and a small M, and now im memorizing words starts with A...i think i will need about 2.5 to 3 months to accomplish the whole dict, anyhow , im expecting that time to come, it really make me feel sense of fullfilling , someone said it is stupid to remember such a big quantities of words, but what im going to say is that i want to live as myself , do what i like,hate what i hate, to challenge the limits is the base of human being , we are not going to encourage you to remember a whole dict, ...but i know someone who likes to tap personal potential will support me, if you want me to substantiate this , go to china , and let me prove to you !:) my hotmail :tommy_rekey@hotmail.com ! welcome to chat !
Guest   Tue Jan 30, 2007 2:20 pm GMT
One can express very well without knowing the whole dic. I'd waste more time in listening and reading to the language than memorizing words mindlessly.
guest   Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:28 am GMT
Memorize the dictionary if you can
Read books
Pay attention to grammar when you read a book
practice, practice, practice

Life is a learning process and it is true that one can express oneself well without memorizing the whole dictionary. However, the brain is a muscle and it ought to be treated as such; it ought to be fed with knowledge. Knowledge can come from natural surroundings (your house, our school, your parents, your toys, your books etc...) But, just like all muscles, the brain ought to be pushed to its limit. Muscles don't grow unless they are forced to perform feats out of the ordinary. The same principle applies to the brain. The brain's utility is to expand and facilitate memory storage, and you do that by training it to memorize the most boring facts, and the most challenging words. What better tool to use than a dictionary; the most boring book in the universe. This might not yield the short term world-record-breaking benefits that the "dictionary man' is enjoying as I type, but I believe it might give one the tools to succeed in any type of learning environment. So go ahead and memorizing, you will see how much people remember of your speeches.
Stacey   Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:57 am GMT
Does the memory you said comprise the grammar of every word? I think to memorize the whole dictionary is possible. If it comprises the grammar of every word. I don't think so.
j-p.a   Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:09 pm GMT
There's no point to memorize a dictionary if you cannot understand and apply the knowledge.

This good advice was provided free of charge, but next time there will be a fee of $ 500 plus travel costs.

Thank you in advance

j-p.a
dickens   Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:37 pm GMT
impossible is nothing , i wish that guy can achivee it ! and i wish he can apply those words to daily life!
pawan srivastava   Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:47 pm GMT
I have memorized name of all the districts of India and their area.The sum of digits of area of all the districts is 2381 digits.I can tell the name of all the 591 districts and their area in only 25 minutes.I want to tell somting about memorize anything the main thing is that if you increase your study time then your memory increase automatically.How to create your interest in any subject and increase your study time ?I have developed some techniques for this.I have also taken 61 hours continuous class inwhich 2 ninth class and one 11 class sutdents was studied continuosly.Anybody wants any tips about memory and study techniques send me email pawansirmemorymantra@yahoo.com.
sriot;jh   Wed May 23, 2007 5:26 pm GMT
poop
Mark   Wed May 23, 2007 6:02 pm GMT
There is a difference between short and long term memory, I have heard of cases where individuals who have their short-term memory destroyed can learn to play the piano and learn languages.

This may seem a little off topic, however my point is learning 52 cards in a deck and learning the contents of a dictionary may require two sets of memory skills; it would be no good to have a short term memory of the dictionary, thereafter you forget it and conversely it seems a waste to have the exact order of 52 cards imprinted into your mind. Although I suppose maybe increasing one's capacity in one area may help another, similar to languages.

Another point entirely is whether it is worth learning a dictionary for day-to-day activities, since languages have a habit of adapting and changing, with words being created and discarded.
K. T.   Wed May 23, 2007 6:17 pm GMT
I believe it. I know someone like that. I've also known (he's dead now) someone who had a photographic memory.
Guest   Wed May 23, 2007 7:06 pm GMT
I'd rather have sex with my wife (as many times as words given in the cambridge Advanced Dictionary.) Tough work either way!
Guest   Wed May 23, 2007 8:58 pm GMT
Good for you!

Back to the topic...

I have the Oxford Advanced on my Wordtank. I don't think it's a great dictionary. I wonder why so many people use it.
furrykef   Thu May 24, 2007 1:55 pm GMT
I believe that unless you have an eidetic memory, you cannot memorize the whole dictionary. Moreover, even if it were possible, it would be useless... there are much more useful things to memorize. It's good to have a large vocabulary, but it's pointless to have one full of words that you will *never* hear or use, right?

- Kef