Mind Performance Hacks

Hack #5. Use the Major System

The Major System is the most commonly used set of mnemonics. This custom Major System will help you memorize lists of up to 100 items, as well as credit card PINs, phone numbers, and the other numeric trivia of daily life.

The Major System was introduced in the 17th century by Stanislaus Mink von Wennsshein and was improved in the 18th century by Dr. Richard Grey.¹ While the Major System is probably the most established mnemonic schema, I prefer the Dominic System [Hack #6], invented by Dominic O'Brien in the 20th century. Nevertheless, you might find that the Major System works well for you, and knowing something about it will contribute to your understanding of advanced mnemonic techniques.

In Action

The Major System uses peg words just like the number-rhyme system [Hack #1] and number-shape system [Hack #2]. Instead of associating numbers with peg words based on rhymes or shapes, however, it assigns each digit a basic consonantal sound and builds up peg words from combinations of those consonants. For example, the digit 3 is linked to the consonant M, and the digit 2 is linked to the consonant N, so our Major System list suggests moon for 32.

The consonant assignments are fairly arbitrary—Lewis Carroll came up with an alternate set [Hack #9] that's probably just as good—but Table 1-2 shows a standard set of mnemonics you can use for these associations until they become second nature.

Table 1-2. Number/letter associations

Number	Letter	Association
0	S, Z, soft C	Z is the first letter of zero.
1	D, T, TH	The letters d and t have only one downward stroke.
2	N	The letter N has two downward strokes; it also looks like the numeral 2 rotated 90 degrees.
3	M	The letter M has three downstrokes; it also looks like the numeral 3 rotated 90 degrees.
4	R	The letter R is the last letter in four.
5	L	L is the Roman numeral for 50; also, a human hand with its thumb stuck out looks like an L.
6	J, SH, DG, soft G, CH as in cheese	J looks like 6 backward.
7	K, hard C, hard G, QU, CH as in loch	You can draw a K with two 7 characters.
8	F, V	A cursive, lowercase f looks like an 8.
9	B, P	A b looks like a 9 rotated 180 degrees; a P looks like a backward 9.

Table 1-3 shows the Major System peg word list for the numbers 1 to 100. If you don't like the words I use, you can use your own. Since your list will use your own mental connections, it might be even more effective for you. Just be consistent, so you don't have to grope to remember the peg word for a particular number.

Table 1-3. Number/word associations

Number	Word	Number	Word
1	Tea, Tie	51	LaD, LiD
2	Noah	52	LioN
3	Ma	53	LamB
4	eaR, heRo, oaR, Rye	54	LuRe
5	Law	55	LiLy
6	Shoe	56	LaSh, LeaSh, LeeCh
7	Key	57	LaKe, LocK, LoG
8	iVy	58	LaVa, LeaF
9	Bee, Pie	59	LiP
10	DiCe, ToeS	60	CheeSe
11	DaD, ToaD, ToT	61	SheeT
12	TiN	62	ChaiN
13	DaM, ToMb	63	ChiMe
14	TiRe	64	ChaiR, CheRry
15	TaiL, ToweL	65	JaiL
16	DiSh	66	Choo-Choo
17	TacK	67	ChalK
18	DoVe, TV	68	CheF
19	TaPe, TuB	69	ShiP
20	NoSe	70	CaSe
21	gNaT, NeT	71	CaT
22	NuN	72	CaN, CoiN
23	eNeMa	73	CoMb
24	NeRo	74	CaR
25	NaiL	75	CoaL
26	hiNGe, NotCh	76	CaGe
27	NaG, NecK	77	CaKe, CoKe
28	kNiFe	78	CaFe, CoFfee, CaVe
29	kNoB	79	CaB, CoB
30	MiCe, MooSe	80	FeZ, VaSe
31	MaiD, MaT	81	VaT
32	MooN	82	FaN, PhoNe
33	MiMe, MuMmy	83	FoaM
34	MoweR	84	FuR
35	MaiL	85	FiLe
36	MatCh	86	FiSh
37	MaC, MuG	87	FoG
38	MaFia, MoVie	88	FiFe
39	MaP, MoP	89	VP (such as Dick Cheney)
40	RiCe, RoSe	90	BuS
41	RaDio, RaT	91	BaT, BoaT
42	RaiN, RhiNo	92	BoNe
43	RaM	93	BoMb
44	RoweR	94	BeaR
45	RaiL, RoLl	95	BaLl, BowL
46	RoaCh	96	BeaCh
47	RacK, RaKe, RocK	97	BooK, PiG
48	RooF	98	BeeF
49	RoPe	99	BaBy
50	LaCe, LaSsie	100	DaiSieS

When you're converting numbers to peg words and back, there are some simple rules to follow:

• Ignore vowels.

• Ignore the second consonant in double-consonant sounds. For example, mummy is 33, not 333, because the mm is counted as a single m.

• Ignore silent consonants. For example, neck is 27, not 277, because the C does not contribute to the K sound.

Tip

To make these rules more obvious, Table 1-3 capitalizes only the consonants being used to form the peg word. For example, the peg word for 32 is listed as MooN.

Since there are only a limited number of possible words in English for each number, the mnemonic lists for the Major System in most memory books tend to be similar. I consulted three of the books in my collection^2,3,4 to compile this list, taking the best from each and adding my own words (such as 42 = RaDio and 81 = VaT) when it seemed useful. I followed several guidelines, which might interest you if you want to customize it:

• I preferred nouns to verbs and adjectives, because they are more easily visualized.

• I preferred concrete objects to abstract objects for the same reason.

• I preferred more active, versatile objects (49 = RoPe, not RuBy), ditto.

• I tried not to interfere with other memory systems in this book (for example, deleting 99 = PiPe because it might interfere with 6 = pipe in the number shape system) or other Major System items (for example, 95 = BeLl interfered with 63 = ChiMe).

In Real Life

If you have a credit card with the number 4880 6630 6767 7584 (these digits were generated at random with the dice-rolling application on my PDA), you might remember them with the words shown in Table 1-4.

Table 1-4. Associations for a credit card number

Number	Word
48	Roof
80	Vase
66	Choo-choo
30	Moose
67	Chalk
67	Chalk
75	Coal
84	Fur

But now you have a new problem: how are you going to remember this arbitrary list of words, especially the two sequential instances of chalk?

You can use the following little story—a kind of memory journey [Hack #3]—to string them together:

A shingle falls off your roof and breaks a vase. A choo-choo of the sort in a kiddie amusement park chugs up and the conductor gets out. He's a moose! He scolds you and tries to write you up with a piece of chalk, but his slate is also made of chalk. (How weird.) He bellows in frustration and begins shoveling coal to leave, but he gets sooty, and abashedly asks you to brush out his fur.

With just a few mental rehearsals of this story (or the equivalent for your own card), you just might never forget your credit card number again. If you actually recall the number a few times in the bustle of real life, you'll begin to remember the number directly and let the story fade naturally.

End Notes

1. Buzan, Tony. 1989. Use Your Perfect Memory, Third Edition. Plume.

2. Ibid.

3. Lorayne, Harry. 2000. How to Develop a Super Power Memory. Frederick Fell Publishers, Inc.

4. Trudeau, Kevin. 1995. Kevin Trudeau's Mega Memory. Quill/William Morrow.