Editing Mnemonic major system

{{Short description|Mnemonic technique for memorizing long strings of numbers}}
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 [[consonant]]s, 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 (priest)|Richard Grey]] with uses by [[Lewis Carroll]] and [[Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gardner |first1=Martin |title=Hexaflexagons, Probability Paradoxes, and the Tower of Hanoi |date=2008 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-75615-0 |pages=116–122}}</ref>

==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 "cat", "Cynthia", and "cello" each have different values in the system: 7, 0, and 6, respectively.) [[Vowel|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<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hale-Evans|first1=Ron|title=Mind Performance Hacks|date=February 2006|publisher=O'Reilly|location=Sebastopol, CA|isbn=0-596-10153-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/mindperformanceh00hale/page/14 14]|edition=1|ref=Hale-Evans|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/mindperformanceh00hale/page/14}}</ref> is:

{| class="wikitable"
 |-
 ! Numeral || [[English phonology#Consonants|Sounds]] ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]) || [[English orthography#Consonants|Commonly associated letters]] || Mnemonic and remarks
 |-
 |0 ||/s/, /z/ ||''s'', soft ''c'', ''z''||''Zero'' 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 [[Voice (phonetics)|voiceless and voiced pair]].
 |-
 |1 ||/t/, /d/, /θ/, /ð/ ||''t'', ''d'', ''th'' (both 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 (typography)|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 ''5''0. Among the ''five'' digits of one's ''l''eft hand, the thumb and index fingers also form an ''L''.
 |-
 |6 ||/tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/ ||''ch'' (in ''cheese'' and ''chef''), ''j'', soft ''g'', ''sh''||Upper case ''G'' looks like the numeral ''6'' and lower case ''g'' looks like the numeral ''6'' rotated 180°. Lower case [[Script typeface|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. ''CH''ur''ch'' 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 sounded in loch),''  ||Both upper case ''K'' and lower case ''k'' look like two small ''7''s 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'' (in ''phone''), ''v ||Lower case script ''f'', which tends to have an upper and lower loop, looks like a ''f''igure-''8''. The labiodental fricatives /f/ and /v/ form a voiceless and voiced pair.
 |-
 |9 ||/p/, /b/ ||''p'', ''b''||Upper 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/, [[English phonology#Vowels|vowel sounds]] ||''h'', ''y'', ''w'', ''a'', ''e'', ''i'', ''o'', ''u'', [[silent letter]]s, ''ch'' (in ''chutzpah''), ''j'' (in ''Hallelujah'' and ''jalapeno''), ''ll'' (in ''tortilla'') ||[[Vowel]] sounds, [[semivowel]]s (/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 ''x''||Variant 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 chose /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 ''d''s and ''c''s 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 [[Rhoticity in English|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 [[mnemonic peg system|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"<ref>[http://numzi.com Numzi mnemonic search engine (bi-directional)]</ref> "Rememberg"<ref>[http://www.rememberg.com Rememberg online mnemonic search engine]</ref> "Fonbee",<ref>[http://www.fonbee.com Fonbee Mnemonic Major System Encoder]</ref> the [[freeware]] "2Know",<ref>[http://www.got2know.net 2Know Mnemonic Software<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and the website "pinfruit".<ref>[http://pinfruit.com/ Web application for the mnemonic major system]</ref>

===Example words===
Some of these example words may belong to more than one word category.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 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''
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 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''{{ref|b|[b]}} || ''name'' || ''honour''{{ref|a|[a]}} || ''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''{{ref|c|[c]}} || ''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''{{ref|a|[a]}} || ''rule'' || ''reach'' || ''rake'' || ''arrive'' || ''wrap''
|-
! adjective
| ''rosy'' || ''ready'' || ''runny'' || ''haram'' || ''rare''{{ref|a|[a]}} || ''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''{{ref|a|[a]}} || ''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
| ''cosy'' || ''good'' || ''keen'' || ''gummy'' || ''grey'' || ''cool'' || ''catchy'' || ''quick'' || ''goofy'' || ''agape''{{ref|d|[d]}}
|-
! || 80 || 81 || 82 || 83 || 84 || 85 || 86 || 87 || 88 || 89
|-
! noun
| ''vase'' || ''video'' || ''fan'' || ''ovum'' || ''fairy'' || ''fool'' || ''veggie'' || ''fig'' || ''fife ''{{ref|e|[e]}}|| ''vibe''
|-
! verb
| ''fuse'' || ''fight'' || ''fine'' || ''fume'' || ''fry'' || ''fly'' || ''fetch'' || ''fake'' || ''viva ''{{ref|f|[f]}}|| ''fob''{{ref|g|[g]}}
|-
! 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''
|}

{{refbegin}}
* {{note|a|a}} Assumes a [[Rhoticity in English|rhotic accent]]
* {{note|b|b}} ''nanny'' (verb): to be overprotective towards<ref>{{cite web|title=Nanny |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nanny?s=ts |access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref>
* {{note|c|c}} ''mum'' (adjective): silent; not saying a word<ref>{{cite web|title=Mum |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mum?s=t |access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref>
* {{note|d|d}} ''agape'' (adjective): with the mouth wide open, as in wonder, surprise, or eagerness<ref>{{cite web |title=Agape |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/agape?s=t |access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref>
* {{note|e|e}} ''fife'' (noun): a high-pitched transverse flute used commonly in military and marching musical groups<ref>{{cite web |title=Fife |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fife?s=t |access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref>
* {{note|f|f}} ''viva'' (verb): to examine orally<ref>{{cite web |title=Viva |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/viva?s=t |access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref>
* {{note|g|g}} ''fob'' (verb), archaic: to cheat; deceive<ref>{{cite web |title=Fob |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fob?s=t |access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref>
{{refend}}

==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.

[[File:Pierre Hérigone (1580 - 1634) - Cursus mathematicus, volume 2, top of page 137.png|thumb|300px|Mnemonic major system by Pierre Hérigone from 1634<ref>https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10593924?page=157</ref>]]
[[File:Johann Justus Winkelmann (1620 - 1699) - mnemonic major system.png|thumb|300px|Johann Just Winckelmann - mnemonic major system from 1648]]
[[File:Aimé Paris - mnemonic major system - 1825.png|thumb|300px|Major system by Aimé Paris from 1825. – 1: T, D; 2: N, GN; 3: M; 4: R; 5: L, ILL; 6:CH, J; 7: K, GH; 8: F, V; 9: P, B; 0: S, Z]]
[[File:Carl Otto Reventlow (1817 - 1873) - mnemonic major system - 1843.png|thumb|300px|Mnemonic major system by Carl Otto Reventlow – 1843]]
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."<ref>Brown, Derren (2006), ''Tricks of the Mind'', Transworld Publishers, {{ISBN|978-1-905026-26-5}}.</ref>  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.<ref>Buzan, Tony, 1989. Use Your Perfect Memory, Third Edition, Plume. Cited in Hale-Evans</ref> It was later elaborated upon by other users.  In 1730, [[Richard Grey (archdeacon)|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.<ref>[http://blog.artofmemory.com/history-of-the-major-system-1092.html History of the Major System]</ref>

In 1843, [[Carl Otto Reventlow]] (1817–1873) published a mnemonics textbook on a method similar to Paris' and traveled throughout Germany promoting it.

In 1844 [[Francis Fauvel Gouraud]] (1808–1847) delivered a series of lectures introducing his mnemonic system which was based on Aimé Paris' version. The lectures drew some of the largest crowds ever assembled to hear lectures of a "scientific" nature up to that time. This series of lectures was later published as ''Phreno-Mnemotechny or The Art of Memory'' in 1845 and his system received wide acclaim. According to Gouraud,  [[Richard Grey (archdeacon)|Richard Grey]] indicated that a discussion on Hebrew linguistics in [[William Beveridge (bishop)|William Beveridge]]'s ''Institutionum chronotogicarum libri duo, una cum totidem arithmetices chronologicæ libellis'' (London, 1669) inspired him  to create his system of mnemotechniques which later evolved in to the major system.<ref>{{cite book|title=Phreno-mnemotechny: Or, The Art of Memory |publisher=Wiley and Putnam |year=1845 | url=https://archive.org/details/phrenomnemotech00gougoog |quote=Beveridge. | first= Francis| last=Fauvel-Gouraud |pages=[https://archive.org/details/phrenomnemotech00gougoog/page/n68 61]–62}}</ref>

In the 1880s Marcus Dwight Larrowe, alias Silas Holmes, was teaching memory courses in the United States based on the Major System using a third alias Dr. Antoine Loisette. Because he was charging inordinate sums of money for a system which had obviously existed before, George S. Fellows published ''"Loisette" exposed'' (1888)<ref>{{cite book |last = Fellows |first = George S. |title = "Loisette" exposed, together with Loisette's Complete System of Physiological Memory. |publisher = G.S. Fellows & Co. 
|year = 1888 |url= https://archive.org/details/loisetteexposed01larrgoog/page/n9/mode/2up }}</ref> and included all the material of Larrowe's course which he determined not to be under copyright. The incident was notable enough to gain coverage by way of a book review in the journal ''Science''.<ref>{{cite journal|date= 1888-07-20 |title= Book review: "Loisette" exposed, together with Loisette's Complete System of Physiological Memory. By G. S. FELLOWS. New York, The Author. 8‡ 25 cents |journal= Science |volume= ns-12 |issue= 285 |pages= 31–32 |publisher= AAAS |doi= 10.1126/science.ns-12.285.31-c |url= https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ns-12.285.31.a |access-date= 2020-04-30|url-access= subscription }}</ref> A well-known student of Loisette's included [[Mark Twain]] whose endorsement Loisette used regularly to sell his course.<ref>{{cite book |last= Paine |first= Albert Bigelow |author-link = Albert Paine |title = Mark Twain, a Biography: The Personal and Literary Life of Samuel Langhorne Clemens |volume= 4 |publisher = Harper and Brothers |year = 1912 |pages= 850–851 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=p45aAAAAYAAJ&q=loisette%20mark%20twain&pg=PA850 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1= Walsh |first1= Thomas M. |last2= Zlatic |first2= Thomas D. |year= 1981 |title= Mark Twain and the Art of Memory |journal= American Literature |volume= 53 |issue= 2 |pages= 214–231 |publisher= Duke University Press |doi= 10.2307/2926100|jstor= 2926100 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/03/20/100902080.html |title= Mark Twain's Memory
|date= 1887-03-20 |work= New York Times |access-date= 2020-05-01}}</ref> Following the revelation that he had not originated the system, Larrowe self-published his material under the pseudonym Dr. Antoine Loisette in 1895 and 1896 and it was later re-published by [[Funk & Wagnalls]] in 1899.<ref>{{cite book |last = Loisette |first = Antoine |title = Memory; a scientific, practical method of cultivating the faculties of attention, recollection and retention |publisher = self-published |year = 1895 |url= https://archive.org/details/memoryscientific00lois/page/n3/mode/2up |page=22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Loisette |first = Antoinne |title = Assimilative memory, or, How to attend and never forget
|publisher = [[Funk & Wagnalls]] |year = 1899 |url= https://archive.org/details/b28134096/page/n5/mode/2up }}</ref>

In the late 1800s Christof Ludwig Poehlmann (aka Christopher Louis Pelman), a German who had emigrated to the United States, and William Joseph Ennever created and ran a series of booklets and memory courses using the system which resulted in The Pelman Schools, The Pelman Institute, and were generally known as Pelmanism.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.ennever.com/histories/history386p.php?sitever=standard|title= The Pelman Schools, The Pelman Institute and Pelmanism|author= Barry Ennever|date= 2020-03-24 |access-date= 2020-05-01}}</ref>

Poehlmann eventually moved back to Germany around 1910 where he continued offering his memory courses and training apparently with a focus on language learning. {{interlanguage link|Bruno F%C3%BCrst|fr}} indicated that he studied under him for a year in 1911. Fürst later practiced criminal law in Frankfort in pre-Hitler Germany before fleeing, as a Jew, to Prague where he taught at [[Masaryk University]] until emigrating to New York in 1939.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1946/02/23/mnemonist-2
|title= Mnemonist |author= Richard H. Rovere |author-link= Richard Rovere |date= 1946-02-16 |publisher= The New Yorker |access-date= 2020-04-30}}</ref> In 1939, Fürst published ''Use your Head'' followed by ''How to Remember'' (1944), which was later reprinted as ''The Practical Way to Better Memory'', and followed up with a series of 12 booklets entitled ''You Can Remember! A Home Study Course in Memory and Concentration'' (1946) which all extolled the system, which he called the "Basic List" and the "Number System" along with other mnemonic systems. In a 1946 profile in ''[[The New Yorker]]'', Bruno indicates that German scholar [[Conrad Celtes|Conradus Celtes]] originated the system.

The system described in this article would be re-popularized after 1957 and through the 1980s in several books by [[Harry Lorayne]], a magician and best selling contemporary author on memory. The most popular of the titles featuring the system is ''The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play'' (1974, with Jerry Lucas).<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Lorayne |first1 = Harry |last2 = Lucas |first2 = Jerry |title = The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play |publisher = Stein & Day Publishing |year =  1974 |isbn = 9780812816648 }}</ref>

This phonetic system had another resurgence in the 1990s thanks to the late night infomercials of [[Kevin Trudeau]] who sold a series of tapes called [[Kevin Trudeau#Audio tapes: "Mega Memory"|Mega Memory]]. He also published a similar book ''Kevin Trudeau's Mega Memory''<ref>{{cite book |last = Trudeau |first = Kevin |author-link = Kevin Trudeau |title = Kevin Trudeau's Mega Memory
|publisher = [[William Morrow and Company|William Morrow & Co.]] |year = 1995 |isbn = 9780688135829}}</ref> which used this same system with some slight modifications.

[[File:Major Bartlomiej Beniowski (1800 - 1867) - Polish physician, officer and mnemonist.jpg|thumb|Major Bartłomiej Beniowski (1800–1867)]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+Major system by Beniowski (1845)
|-  
! Number
! Consonants
|-
| 0 || s, z 
|-
| 1 || t, d, th 
|-
| 2 || n 
|-
| 3 || m  
|-
| 4 || r  
|-
| 5 || l  
|-
| 6 || h, ch, sh, j  
|-
| 7 || k, g  
|-
| 8 || f, v, w  
|-
| 9 || p, b  
|}The name "Major System" may<ref>[https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/major-beniowski-and-the-major-system/31511/36 Major Beniowski and the Major System]</ref> refer to Major [[Bartlomiej Beniowski]], who published a version of the system in his book, ''The Anti-Absurd or Phrenotypic English Pronouncing and Orthographical Dictionary'' in 1845.<ref>[http://blog.artofmemory.com/history-of-the-major-system-1092.html History of the Major System]</ref><ref>{{cite book| last= Beniowski (Maj.)| first= Bartlomiej| title= The Anti-Absurd or Phrenotypic English Pronouncing and Orthographical Dictionary| url= https://archive.org/details/antiabsurdorphr01benigoog/page/n9/mode/2up| year= 1845| publisher= self-published| location= London }}</ref>

There is a reasonable historical possibility that the roots of the Major System are entangled with older systems of [[shorthand]].  It is certainly the case that the underlying structure of the Major System has a direct overlap with [[Gregg shorthand]], which was a popular shorthand system in the late 1800s and early 1900s.<ref>[http://boffosocko.com/2014/07/05/the-mnemonic-major-system-and-gregg-shorthand-have-the-same-underlying-structure/ The Mnemonic Major System and Gregg Shorthand Have the Same Underlying Structure]</ref>

==Practice==
Memory feats centered around numbers can be performed by experts who have learned a 'vocabulary' of at least one image for each 1 and 2-digit number, as these can then be combined to form narratives. Learning a vocabulary of 3-digit numbers is harder, because ten times more images need to be learned for each extra digit. Many mnemonists, however, can use a set of over 1000 images.

The combination of images into a narrative is easier to do rapidly than forming a coherent grammatical sentence. This pre-memorisation and practice at forming images reduces the time required to think up a good imaginary object while creating a strong memorable impression of it.  The best words for this purpose are usually nouns, especially those for distinctive objects such as those which make strong impressions on a variety of senses (e.g. "Lime" for 53, as its taste, smell, colour, and even texture are distinctive) or which move (e.g. "arrow" for 4). For basic proficiency, a large vocabulary of image words is not really necessary, since when the table above is reliably learned, it is easy to form your own words ad hoc.

==Indexing sequences==
Mnemonics often center around learning a complete sequence where all objects in that sequence that come before the one you are trying to recall must be recalled first.  For instance, when using the mnemonic "Richard of York gave battle in vain" to learn the colours of the rainbow, (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) to remember what colour comes after indigo, one would have to recall the whole sequence. For a short sequence this may be trivial; for longer lists, it can become complicated and error-prone.

A good example would be in recalling the 53rd element of the [[periodic table]].  It might be possible to construct and learn a string of 53 or more items, each of which links to an element and then to recall them one by one sequentially. But it would be a great deal easier to directly associate element 53 with, for example, a lime (a suitable mnemonic for 53) recalling some prior imagining of a mishap where lime juice gets into one's eye - "eye" sounding like "I", the symbol for ''[[Iodine]]''. This allows [[random access]] directly to the item, without the need for recalling any previous items.

To remember element 54 one might then recall an image for 54, for instance a friend called "Laura" (54), in the lotus position looking very Zen-like as a mnemonic that element 54 is ''[[Xenon]]''.

This is an example of combining the Major System with the [[mnemonic peg system|peg system]].

==See also==
*[[Dominic system]]
*[[Memory sport]]
*[[Katapayadi system]]
*[[Rhyming letter getter]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*Gouraud, Francis Fauvel [https://archive.org/details/phrenomnemotech00gougoog/ Phreno-Mnemotechny or The Art of Memory] Wiley & Putnam 1845
*Lorayne, Harry and Lucas, Jerry, ''The Memory Book:  The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, at Play'' Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (1996) {{ISBN|0-345-41002-5}}.
*[http://folk.ntnu.no/krill/home.htm Pseudonumerology] Totally dedicated to the Major System.
* [http://memory.uva.nl/en/training/memory_improvement/ University of Amsterdam - Online Memory Improvement Course] is an online step-by-step tutorial of the Phonetic Mnemonic System

==External links==
{{wikibooks|Intelligence Intensification/Memory Techniques|Memorizing Numbers and Digits|the major system}}

===Software===
* [https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1039240396?pt=117952673&ct=wikipedia&mt=8 iOS app]{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} to learn and practice the major system
* [http://numzi.com Numzi] - free web application for converting numbers to words/phrases and vice versa using the Major System.  Covers the English language with over 220,000 words.  [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1036895529 Numzi also has an iOS app] which is a portable Major System number-word converter.
* [http://got2know.net 2Know] is free Windows software for converting numbers to words (English, German, French).
* [http://mnemisis.sourceforge.net Mnemisis] Another free mnemonic program - runs on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160320084715/https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/memagine/id460056495?mt=8 Memagine] iPhone app that uses the system to teach how to recall a list of up to 100 items in any order
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305223619/https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/major-system/id617079050?mt=8 Major System] iPhone app that helps you to create your own list of words and practice it
* [http://pinfruit.com pinfruit.com] Web application for the mnemonic major system
* [http://www.remarkablemarbles.com/memory/encoding/major-system-trainer Major System Trainer] Free personalisable web application for learning the digit mappings, and encodings for all 1 and 2 digit words
* [http://www.joereddington.com/major/majorEncoder.php Major System Tool] Free web application for converting numbers to words using Derren Brown's encoding.
* [http://drupal.org/project/mnemonic_major_system Mnemonic Major System Module] A free module for the drupal content management system by rolf vreijdenberger - web based
* [https://dingn.com dingn.com] Training and recall of 1 digit to 4 digits numbers, vocabulary cards and a deck of shuffled playing cards with personalized favorite word selection for each number.
* [https://www.locserendipity.com/Major.html LOC Serendipity] A quiz to learn the sound/number correspondences of the Major system by rote. Also available are quizzes to learn the top 100 [https://www.locserendipity.com/MS.html adjective] and [https://www.locserendipity.com/MSN.html noun] representations from 00 to 99.

===Other===
* [https://mammothmemory.net/memory/remembering-numbers/remembering-numbers-method-1/examples-from-0-999.html Mammoth Memory's system for memorising decimal numbers 0-999]
* [http://www.rememberg.com Online mnemonic directory for remembering numbers with the major system]
* [http://www.happychild.org.uk/acc/tpr/mem/0199majr.htm Memory Improvement and Learning Information]
* [http://www.memoriad.com/ MEMORIAD - Official Website of World Memory Olympiad]
* [http://www.worldmemorychampionships.com/ Homepage of World Memory Championships]
*[http://numzi.com/numzi/pegwords.cfm Numzi Peg Words] for 0 - 100, with Peg Word Story
*[http://mt.artofmemory.com/wiki/Mnemonic_Association_System_for_Numbers Andi Bell's system for the decimal numbers 00-99]
*[https://www.mnemonic-device.com Collection of Mnemonic Devices ]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mnemonic Major System}}
[[Category:Mnemonics]]