The mnemonic major system (also called the phonetic number system, phonetic mnemonic system, or Hérigone's mnemonic 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 (just Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions in the UK edition), 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. (For example, the letters C in "call", "cell", and "cello" each have different values in the system: 7, 0, and 6, respectively.) 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:
Numeral Sounds (IPA) Commonly associated letters Mnemonic and remarks 0 /s/, /z/ s, soft c, zZero begins with z (and /z/). Upper case S and Z, as well as lower case s and z, have zero vertical strokes each, as with the numeral 0. The alveolar fricatives /s/ and /z/ form a voiceless and voiced pair. 1 /t/, /d/, /θ/, /ð/ t, d, th (as in thing and this)Upper case T and D, as well as lower case t and d have one vertical stroke each, as with the numeral 1. The alveolar stops /t/ and /d/ form a voiceless and voiced pair, as do the similar-sounding dental fricatives /θ/ and /ð/, though some variant systems may omit the latter pair. 2 /n/ n Upper case N and lower case n each have two vertical strokes and two points on the baseline. 3 /m/ m Lower case m has three vertical strokes. Both upper case M and lower case m each have three points on the baseline and look like the numeral 3 on its side. 4 /r/ r Four ends with r (and /r/ in rhotic accents). 5 /l/ l L is the Roman numeral for 50. Among the five digits of one's left hand, the thumb and index fingers also form an L. 6 /tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /ʃ/ ch (as in cheese), j, soft g, shUpper case G looks like the numeral 6 and lower case g looks like the numeral 6 rotated 180°. Lower case script j tends to have a lower loop, like the numeral 6. In some serif fonts, upper case CH, SH and ZH each have six serifs. CHurch has six letters. The postalveolar affricates /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ form a voiceless and voiced pair, as do the similar-sounding postalveolar fricatives /ʃ/ and /ʒ/. 7 /k/, /ɡ/ k, hard c, q, hard g, ch (as in loch),Both upper case K and lower case k look like two small 7s on their sides. In some fonts, the lower-right part of the upper case G looks like a 7. G is also the 7th letter of the alphabet. The velar stops /k/ and /ɡ/ form a voiceless and voiced pair. 8 /f/, /v/ f, ph (as in phone), v Lower case script f, which tends to have an upper and lower loop, looks like a figure-8. The labiodental fricatives /f/ and /v/ form a voiceless and voiced pair. 9 /p/, /b/ p, bUpper case P and lower case p look like the numeral 9 flipped horizontally. Lower case b looks like the numeral 9 turned 180°. The labial stops /p/ and /b/ form a voiceless and voiced pair. Unassigned /h/, /j/, /w/, /x/, vowel sounds h, y, w, a, e, i, o, u, silent letters, ch (as in chutzpah), j (in Hallelujah and jalapeno), ll (in tortilla) Vowel sounds, semivowels (/j/ and /w/) and /h/ do not correspond to any number. They can appear anywhere in a word without changing its number value. (2, 27 or 7) /ŋ/ ng, n before k, hard c, q, hard g or xVariant systems differ about whether /ŋ/ should encode 2 and classified together with /n/, 7 and classified together with /k/ and /ɡ/ or even 27 (e.g. ring could be 42, 47 or 427). When a /k/ and /ɡ/ is pronounced separately after the /ŋ/, variant systems that choose /ŋ/ to be 27 also disagree if an extra 7 should be written (e.g. finger could be 8274 or 82774, or if /ŋ/ is chosen to be 7, 8774).
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 (/k/-/ʃ/-/n/), not 712 (k-t-n). Double letters are disregarded when not pronounced separately, e.g. muddy encodes 31 (/m/-/d/), not 311, but midday encodes 311 (/m/-/d/-/d/) while accept encodes 7091 (/k/-/s/-/p/-/t/) since the ds and cs are pronounced separately. x encodes 70 when pronounced as /ks/ or /gz/ (e.g. in fax and exam) and 76 when pronounced /kʃ/ or /gʒ/ (e.g. in anxious or luxury); z encodes 10 when pronounced /ts/ (e.g. in pizza). In ghost (701, /ɡ/-/s/-/t/) and enough (28, /n/-/f/), gh is being encoded by different numerals. Usually, a rhotic accent is assumed, e.g. fear would encode 84 (/f/-/r/) rather than 8 (/f/).
Often the mapping is compact. Hindquarters, for example, translates unambiguously to 2174140 (/n/-/d/-/k/-/r/-/t/-/r/-/z/), 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 (an approximation of the mathematical constant pi) as: meteor (314, /m/-/t/-/r/) tail (15, /t/-/l/) pink (927, /p/-/ŋ/-/k/, and taking /ŋ/ to be 2)
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"Numzi mnemonic search engine (bi-directional) "Rememberg"Rememberg online mnemonic search engine "Fonbee", the freeware "2Know",2Know Mnemonic Software and the website "pinfruit".Web application for the mnemonic major system
Example words Some of these example words may belong to more than one word category.
+ 1-digit pegs 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 noun hose hat hen home arrow whale shoe cow hoof pie verb sew hate know aim row heal chew hook view buy adjective easy hot new yummy hairy oily itchy gay heavy happy
+ 2-digit pegs 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 noun sauce seed sun sumo sierra soil sewage sky sofa soap verb assess swat assign assume sorrow sell switch soak save sob adjective sissy sad snowy awesome sorry slow swishy sick savvy sappy 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 noun daisy tattoo tuna dome diary tail dish dog dove tuba verb tease edit widen time draw tell teach take defy type adjective dizzy tight wooden tame dry tall whitish thick deaf deep 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 noun nose net onion enemy winery nail nacho neck knife honeybee verb ionize unite nanny name honour inhale enjoy knock envy nab adjective noisy neat neon numb narrow annual nudgy naggy naïve wannabe 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 noun mouse meadow moon mummy emery mole match mug movie map verb amuse meet mine mime marry mail mash mock move mop adjective messy mute mean mum merry male mushy mucky mauve wimpy 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 noun rice road rain rum aurora railway roach rag roof rope verb erase read ruin ram rear rule reach rake arrive wrap adjective rosy ready runny haram rare royal rich rocky rough ripe 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 noun louse lady lion lime lorry lily leech leg lava lip verb lose let align loom lure lull latch lick love help adjective lazy elite alien lame leery loyal lush lucky leafy loopy 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 noun cheese cheetah chin gem shrew chilli cha-cha chick chef jeep verb chase cheat chain jam jury chill judge check achieve chop adjective choosy chatty shiny sham cherry jolly Jewish shaky chief cheap 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 noun goose cat coin game crow clay cage cake cave cube verb kiss quote weaken comb carry kill coach cook give copy adjective cozy good keen gummy grey cool catchy quick goofy agape 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 noun vase video fan ovum fairy fool veggie fig fife vibe verb fuse fight fine fume fry fly fetch fake viva fob adjective fussy fat funny foamy furry foul fishy foggy fave fab 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 noun boss bead pony puma berry bell pouch bike beef pipe verb oppose bite ban bomb bury peel patch poke pave pop adjective busy bad bony balmy pro blue bushy back puffy baby
Assumes a rhotic accent nanny (verb): to be overprotective towards mum (adjective): silent; not saying a word agape (adjective): with the mouth wide open, as in wonder, surprise, or eagerness fife (noun): a high-pitched transverse flute used commonly in military and marching musical groups viva (verb): to examine orally fob (verb), archaic: to cheat; deceive
History The mnemonic major system is a widely used phonetic number memorization technique that associates numbers with sounds or words to make them easier to recall. This system is part of a broader tradition of phonetic number systems found across different cultures. For instance, in India, the Katapayadi system, which dates back to at least the 7th century, represents another ancient and sophisticated approach to encoding numbers using phonetic values.
A different memory system, the method of loci, was taught to schoolchildren for centuries, at least until 1584, "when Puritan reformers declared it unholy for encouraging bizarre and irreverent images."Brown, Derren (2006), Tricks of the Mind, Transworld Publishers, . The same objection can be made over the major system, with or without the method of loci. Mental images may be easier to remember if they are insulting, violent, or obscene (see Von Restorff effect).
Pierre Hérigone (1580–1643) devised the earliest version of the major system and published it in 1634. The system was further developed by Johann Just Winckelmann (pseudonym Stanislaus Mink von Weunsshein and published in 1648.Buzan, Tony, 1989. Use Your Perfect Memory, Third Edition, Plume. Cited in Hale-Evans It was later elaborated upon by other users. In 1730, Richard Grey set forth a complicated system that used both consonants and vowels to represent the digits. In 1808 Gregor von Feinaigle introduced the improvement of representing the digits by consonants (but reversed the values of 8 and 9 compared to those listed above).
In 1825 Aimé Paris published the first known version of the major system in its modern form.History of the Major System
In 1843, Carl Otto Reventlow (1817–1873) published a mnemonics textbook on a method similar to Paris' and traveled throughout Germany promoting it.