Mnemonic major system


The mnemonic major system is a mnemonic technique used to help in memorizing numbers.
The system works by converting numbers into consonants, then into words by adding vowels. The system works on the principle that images can be remembered more easily than numbers.
One notable explanation of this system was given in Martin Gardner's book The First Scientific American Book of Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions, which has since been republished in The New Martin Gardner Mathematical Library as Hexaflexagons, Probability Paradoxes, and the Tower of Hanoi. In this, Gardner traces the history of the system back to similar systems of Pierre Hérigone and Richard Grey with uses by Lewis Carroll and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

The system

Each numeral is associated with one or more consonants. The link is to the sound, not the letter. Vowels, semivowels and the consonant /h/ are ignored. These can be used as "fillers" to make sensible words from the resulting consonant sequences. A standard mapping is:
The groups of similar sounds and the rules for applying the mappings are almost always fixed, but other hooks and mappings can be used as long as the person using the system can remember them and apply them consistently.
Each numeral maps to a set of similar sounds with similar mouth and tongue positions. The link is phonetic, that is to say, it is the consonant sounds that matter, not the spelling. Therefore, a word like action would encode the number 762, not 712. Double letters are disregarded when not pronounced separately, e.g. muddy encodes 31, not 311, but midday encodes 311 while accept encodes 7091 since the ds and cs are pronounced separately. x encodes 70 when pronounced as /ks/ or /gz/ and 76 when pronounced /kʃ/ or /gʒ/ ; z encodes 10 when pronounced /ts/. In ghost and enough, gh is being encoded by different numerals. Usually, a rhotic accent is assumed, e.g. fear would encode 84 rather than 8.
Often the mapping is compact. Hindquarters, for example, translates unambiguously to 2174140, which amounts to a twelve-letter word encoded by seven digits in seven letters, and can be easily visualized.
Each numeral maps to a set of similar sounds with similar mouth and tongue positions.
For most people it would be easier to remember 3.1415927 as:
Short term visual memory of imagined scenes allows large numbers of digits to be memorized with ease. Longer-term memory may require the formulation of more object-related mnemonics with greater logical connection, perhaps forming grammatical sentences that apply to the matter rather than just strings of images.
The system can be employed with phone numbers. One would typically make up multiple words, preferably a sentence, or an ordered sequence of images featuring the owner of the number.
The Major System can be combined with a peg system for remembering lists, and is sometimes used also as a method of generating the pegs. It can also be combined with other memory techniques such as rhyming, substitute words, or the method of loci. Repetition and concentration using the ordinary memory is still required.
It is possible to use a computer to automatically translate the number into a set of words. One can then pick the best of several alternatives. Such programs include "Numzi" "Rememberg" "Fonbee", the freeware "2Know", and the website "pinfruit".

Example words

Some of these example words may belong to more than one word category.
0123456789
nounhosehathenhomearrowwhaleshoecowhoofpie
verbsewhateknowaimrowhealchewhookviewbuy
adjectiveeasyhotnewyummyhairyoilyitchygayheavyhappy

00010203040506070809
nounsauceseedsunsumosierrasoilsewageskysofasoap
verbassessswatassignassumesorrowsellswitchsoaksavesob
adjectivesissysadsnowyawesomesorryslowswishysicksavvysappy
10111213141516171819
noundaisytattootunadomediarytaildishdogdovetuba
verbteaseeditwidentimedrawtellteachtakedefytype
adjectivedizzytightwoodentamedrytallwhitishthickdeafdeep
20212223242526272829
nounnosenetonionenemywinerynailnachoneckknifehoneybee
verbionizeunitenannynamehonourinhaleenjoyknockenvynab
adjectivenoisyneatneon numbnarrowannualnudgynaggynaïvewannabe
30313233343536373839
nounmousemeadowmoonmummyemerymolematchmugmoviemap
verbamusemeetminemimemarrymailmashmockmovemop
adjectivemessymutemeanmummerrymalemushymuckymauvewimpy
40414243444546474849
nounriceroadrainrumaurorarailwayroachragroofrope
verberasereadruinramrearrulereachrakearrivewrap
adjectiverosyreadyrunnyharamrareroyalrichrockyroughripe
50515253545556575859
nounlouseladylionlimelorrylilyleechleglavalip
verbloseletalignloomlurelulllatchlicklovehelp
adjectivelazyelitealienlameleeryloyallushluckyleafyloopy
60616263646566676869
nouncheesecheetahchingemshrewchillicha-chachickchefjeep
verbchasecheatchainjamjurychilljudgecheckachievechop
adjectivechoosychattyshinyshamcherryjollyJewishshakychiefcheap
70717273747576777879
noungoosecatcoingamecrowclaycagecakecavecube
verbkissquoteweakencombcarrykillcoachcookgivecopy
adjectivecozygoodkeengummygreycoolcatchyquickgoofyagape
80818283848586878889
nounvasevideofanovumfairyfoolveggiefigfife vibe
verbfusefightfinefumefryflyfetchfakeviva fob
adjectivefussyfatfunnyfoamyfurryfoulfishyfoggyfavefab
90919293949596979899
nounbossbeadponypumaberrybellpouchbikebeefpipe
verbopposebitebanbombburypeelpatchpokepavepop
adjectivebusybadbonybalmyprobluebushybackpuffybaby

  • Assumes a rhotic accent
  • nanny : to be overprotective towards
  • mum : silent; not saying a word
  • agape : with the mouth wide open, as in wonder, surprise, or eagerness
  • fife : a high-pitched transverse flute used commonly in military and marching musical groups
  • viva : to examine orally
  • fob, archaic: to cheat; deceive