In Detail, the Memory Peg System
The Memory Peg system is a flexible tool for improving your mnemonic reach. It builds on the Mnemonic Alphabet, which works like this:
The number 1 is shown by a t or d (they both have a single downstroke) Th is considered the same as “t”.
The number 2 is shown by the letter “n”, which has two descenders.
The number 3 is shown by the letter “m”, which has three descenders’
The number 4 is shown by the letter “r”, the last letter in the word “four”.
This process continues through the number 10.
In the Memory Book we will cover these brain systems in great detail.
The peg mnemonic memory system uses a series of 1 to 100 peg words built off of the Mnemonic Alphabet. By carefully drilling and memorizing this list of peg words (roughly two hours with flash cards will do it), you can rapidly associate each peg word with a number from one to one hundred.
The first twenty peg words in the conventional system are (in order)
Tie (t for 1), Noah (N for 2), Ma (M for 3), Ray (r for 4), law (l for 5), Shoe (Sh for 6), Key (K or G for 7), Ivy (v for 8), Bee (B for 9). Ten requires two consonant sounds, one for the numeral 1, and one for the numeral zero. This gives the word “toes”, where the t (as before) stands for 1, and the s stands for zero.
Moving on from 10, we get toad for 11, tin for 12, dam for 13, tire for 14, doll for 15, dish for 16, dog for 17, dove for 18, tap for 19, and nose for 20. The conventional list goes all the way out to 1000 peg items, with each “digit” being represented by a consonant sound in a word, built from the Major Mnemonic System.
To use the peg system, assign each item you’re trying to memorize a number, then associate the word that corresponds with the number with an action that corresponds with what you’re trying to recall. Because each item is associated with a word that’s in turn associated with a list item, you can remember things “out of order”, and remember sequences quite specifically. For example, if the you’re trying to remember to buy beer, and it’s the fifth item on your to do list, you can picture a picture of Blind Justice weighing two cans of beer on her scale. Since this is a figure associated with law, and law is the word associated with the number 5, you know that buying beer is the fifth task on your chore list for the day.
It’s important that whatever associations you make are silly. The picture of Blind Justice weighing beer on her scales is silly. A picture of Noah on his arcs holding an oil filter at the helm of the Ark will remind you that changing your oil is the second item on the to do list for today. The sillier, and more action packed the image is, the more easily it will be recalled when it’s needed.
The peg system also allows you to do “negative” associations. You can use the peg system to mark off things on your mental to-do list, by simply picturing a “debased” version of the mental image performing an action with the item associated with it. This also allows you to do cute parlor tricks – memorize your pegs from one to one hundred, and have your associate read off numbers. Each time he reads off a number, recall the debased version of the word associated with it. When you’re done, remembering the numbers you didn’t substitute for is easy, and you’ll be able to astound your friends by calling out the numbers that weren’t used.
All of this shows that memory is associative, and memory building is a learnable skill. Indeed, it’s worth it in terms of saved time alone, to build up the skills needed to get a photographic recall in this fashion.
