To do something parrot-fashion, is to learn or memorize it by repetition without understanding it, or repeat it mechanically without thinking about it.
British and Australian English.
Examples of use:
1. Conjugating verbs parrot-fashion is not the best way to learn them.
2. When we were at school we had to recite Shakespeare parrot-fashion.
3. He learned to play the piano parrot-fashion, and always played without emotion.
4. She gave her speech to the crowd parrot-fashion, and after ten minutes they stopped listening.
Image © Geoff Penaluna
About Angela Boothroyd
hello angela!
as i know,there is another way to say this thing,it’s learn by rote right? but which one people use most? in my oxford dictionary,they said that parrot fashion is used by british people? is it true? i’m looking forward to hearing ur advice,thanks a lot
Hello
Yes, you’re correct – learn by rote is very similar to ‘parrot fashion’.
Here in the UK, we do use the expression ‘parrot fashion’, but more often in informal contexts than formal.
The expression ‘parrot fashion’ is usually used in a negative way, but ‘learn by rote’ is not necessarily used in a negative way – although many English teachers believe that learning by rote is not the best way to learn English!
I hope that helps.
Angela.