24 & 25: The Phonetic Mental Filing System
Welcome to a double-edition of OtherSteve's Tidbits. The Tidbit you are about to read is extremely powerful, but like most powerful strategies, it takes some practice. Unlike some of the other Tidbits here, you may not be able to apply this one within anything sooner than a few days’ application. And while it may seem overly complicated, let me promise you that it actually is not. And once you have learned it, you will begin to file everything in your memory differently and much more effectively. It has the very real potential to change your life.Introduction and Preparation
Although the Advanced Loci Mnemonic and other memory systems detailed in previous Tidbits are extremely useful, there are three last particularly enticing uses of which the previous memory Tidbits are bereft: 1) Remembering numbers, 2) Being able to recall ordered list items by their number in line, and 3) Constructing an effective mental filing system suitable for daily reuse.
For instance, how many times have you been provided with a phone number that you soon after forgot? Wouldn’t you like to spend around fifteen seconds committing that number to memory and then refrain from worrying about the constant rehearsal leading up to whenever it’s convenient to write that number down? If you learn this system, the first thing you will be able to do is memorize numbers—even outrageously long ones—effectively and fairly easily. Can you imagine how useful this would be during activities where pen and paper are not handy—for instance, while you are driving?
As usual with memory, it’s all about creating a meaningful visualization in your mind that represents the particular number you need to memorize. Numbers are pretty much impossible to commit meaningfully to memory without advanced mnemonic approaches. Luckily for us, an extremely effective system already exists that actually is not that difficult to learn and apply (give it around 20 minutes of rehearsal and then try applying it to numbers around you for a bit of break-in practice).
Framework of The Phonetic Mnemonic
This system is called The Phonetic Mnemonic, and it has been discussed in several fantastic memory books and on various internet websites. It’s an ancient method that has improved over hundreds of years. Here’s the basis of how it works.
The reason it’s called the Phonetic Mnemonic is that it seeks to assign words to numerical values based solely on the phonetic properties of the words. It ignores vowels and most mild consonant sounds, but it focuses on the more distinct English consonant phonetics. The following table is a breakdown of the foundation you will need to familiarize yourself with in order to begin using the Phonetic Mnemonic system. You will find the same table and hints in many different places, as it is essentially public knowledge among mnemonists. Do not let yourself be intimidated by its seemingly complex nature; it’s actually much simpler and can be memorized much more quickly than it appears.
Number / Phonetic Sound / Mnemonic Hint
0 / s, z, soft-c / “z” is the first letter in “zero”
1 / t, d, th / “t” resembles the number “1”
2 / n / “n” has two downstrokes
3 / m / “m” has three downstrokes
4 / r / “fouR”
5 / l / Roman Numeral L = 50
6 / j, soft-g, ch, sh / Rotate “6” to become “g”
7 / k, hard-c, hard-g, q / 7’s pointed shape resembles the letter K
8 / f, v / The cursive letter “f” resembles an “8”
9 / p, b / Rotate or flip letters “p” or “b” to become “9”
Sounds such as “y”, “w”, and “h” have no phonetic association and thus can be used throughout words as an aid for more colorful and varied associative terms.
After just ten minutes of concentrated practice, you should be able to easily commit these ten associations to memory. Begin practicing them afterwards. You may find it helpful to take advantage of the Phonetic practice application this person has posted here (the entire site is helpful, though I disagree with some of his peg words—stick with my documentation here and I think you may find mine slightly more helpful).
Basic Application
Now, once you’ve tested yourself and made absolutely sure that you understand each phonetic association, try converting simple words into numerical form. For instance, here are some examples:
Book = 97 (B = 9, K = 7)
Imagine = 362 (M = 3, soft-G = 6, N = 2)
Railroad = 4541
Egyptian = 6962
Qualitative = 75118
Of course, it isn’t very helpful to convert words to numbers, but the idea is that once you become partially familiarized with this method, you will be able to perform the opposite conversion on the fly. At first, this will take a bit of practice (the conversions will go slower than you probably would like). But once you begin to pin down the process and almost subconsciously produce concrete terms with which to construct mental images, you will find that this system is one of the most useful things you have ever had at your disposal. It will amaze you (and everyone you know as well)!
Let’s take, for instance, three phone numbers that need to be committed to memory. These numbers are randomly chosen, so please don’t blame me if you decide to actually call them. ;-) They are:
1-800-426-6257
1-521-367-9152
1-888-133-5246
Obviously, it would be extremely difficult to memorize all of these numbers via conventional methods without reading through them for at least three or four minutes. But with the phonetic method, all can be committed to memory in less than a minute (with a bit of practice in its use, of course).
Let’s start with the first number: 1-800-426-6257. Quickly converting the number into concrete words, I create: TV (18), Zeus (00), Yarn (42), Judge (66), Nail (25), and Key (7). Quickly visualize each object in your mind as you think of it. Associate one object with the next via the Link system described in previous Tidbit. In other words, here’s how you’d do this one perhaps (you may find a better association for yourself personally—just be sure to colorfully envision this stuff as you read it!): You see a TV. Zeus strikes the TV with a massive bolt of lightning and it explodes into a gigantic ball of Yarn, which covers you and traps you. The giant Judge looks down on you, slams his huge mallet down, and sends hundreds of Nails flying toward you. All of them miss you, but then they turn around, fly above you, and rain down onto you in the form of cold metal keys, clinking and clanking the entire way.
This entire visualization, should you have produced it yourself, might have taken you something like fifteen seconds.
Now, the next number: 1-521-367-9152. My off-the-top-of-my-head picks are: Tail (15), Knot (21), Magic (367), Bat (91), Lion (52). Remember to VISUALIZE. See this happen in your mind. Feel it, and be a part of it. You have a Tail. You watch it tie itself into a Knot, and it hurts extremely badly as you stare at the huge Knot. So, you cast a Magic spell to unravel it, but the tail then turns into a gigantic Bat attached to you. An even larger Lion swiftly appears out of nowhere and rips the Bat to shreds, covering you in blood.
Finally, the last number: 1-888-133-5240. Taffy (18), Fife (88 — a fife is a small flute), Tomb (13), Mole (35), Weiners (240). VISUALIZE. An enormous vat of hot Taffy is poured on you, and you cannot breathe and can hardly move your arms and legs. You manage to pull out your Fife and play a tune that shrinks the taffy into a tiny ball and seals it in a nearby Tomb (which pops up directly between your legs—you can feel the concrete). A Mole emerges from the dirt beneath the tomb and soon after hundreds more moles follow him. The entire mass of moles is then crushed by an enormous rain of Wieners from the sky, which they attempt to eat as they fall (as do you) and eventually explode one by one.
Finally (and optionally), use your Loci method to associate each of the first items in the three lists with a location in your Loci path. For instance, I would associate TV with my front porch (my front porch is a gigantic TV and I am walking on the screen to the door), Tail with my foyer (The walls are squirming and wagging tails), and Taffy with my stairs (the stairs are made of taffy and as I ascend them, it sticks to my feet and makes it impossible to walk).
Did you visualize each of the scenes? Now, recite the phone numbers.
The Mental Filing System
The term mental filing system is often used my mnemonists to describe a dependable system where you have organized your thoughts so that you can quickly and easily retrieve any thought with amazing accuracy. The Loci method falls into this definition, but I use the term more strongly here, because it is the combination of the Loci method and the Phonetic Mnemonic that can truly produce amazing results for you.
Let’s say you wish to memorize the things you need to accomplish on a particular date; a To-Do list in your head, if you will. The absolute easiest way to do this is through the application of the Phonetic System. But not unlike the framework of this mnemonic, it requires considerable practice before it is second-nature. However, it is unbelievably powerful. I have incorporated this system into my everyday life, and after just two weeks of practice (and by “practice,” I mean using it with a “cheat sheet” handy), I was nearly perfect at applying it.
Here’s how it works: You memorize pre-chosen words, called peg words, to associate your daily tasks with. The typical method of organization is to designate ten peg words per day, to allow for easy storage of ten entirely unique tasks or reminders. That means you will need to memorize 70 peg words. But don’t be discouraged—this is not that hard if you break it down to ten per day.
Try it like this: On day one, spend a little time to familiarize yourself with the first ten words on this list. Once you’re done, move on and do the next ten (to get yourself started quickly). This should not take very long—perhaps just a few minutes of recitation will be needed throughout the day at various times. Here is the list of the first seventy suggested peg words (this is my personal list, and it differs slightly from most other lists floating around in that I have chosen at least a dozen different concrete words to use in place of less visualizable ones in other common peg word lists). If you find a word that you believe would be more effective to you personally, feel free to replace the one provided on my list and use your own instead.
Sunday
- head
- honey
- ham
- hair
- whale
- jaw
- key
- hoof
- pie
- dice
Monday
- dad
- tin
- thumb
- tire
- tail
- dish
- duck
- TV
- tape
- nose
Tuesday
- net
- onion
- gnome
- winner
- nail
- wench
- neck
- knife
- knob
- mouse
Wednesday
- meadow
- moon
- mom
- hammer
- mole
- match
- hammock
- Mafiaf
- mop
- rose
Thursday
- heart
- yarn
- ram
- warrior
- railway
- roach
- rack
- roof
- rapper
- lasso
Friday
- lady
- lion
- lamb
- lawyer
- lolly
- lodge
- lake
- wolf
- lobby
- cheese
Saturday
- jet
- chain
- gym
- chair
- jewel
- judge
- Sheik (from Zelda)
- shave
- ship
- kiss
Try setting a time to sweep your list as well. Maybe you’ll do it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Or maybe in-between each and every class. There are plenty of ways to make it work for you, but the important part is to actually use it. I promise all of you that if you master this method, your life will be better forever. You will be come to known as one of the most mentally organized and solid individuals amongst your friends, and people will actually start to come to you for advice or help with situations as they perceive you to be more capable (somehow!) than themselves. It is amazing the amount of respect an organized individual can subconsciously gather.
Hope you enjoyed this massive double-edition of OtherSteve's Tidbits!
~os