While exploring mnemonic devices, I found an interesting variation of the Memory Palace method. Useful for memorizing daily lists, numbers, and any other set of data, by using only objects as hooks for recalling information: the Pegword method.
The Pegword method is a mnemonic device used to recall lists easily. According to Metivier, It consists of pairing unknown information with information already held in memory . According to Higbee, “the Peg system gets its name from the fact that the pegwords serve as mental pegs or hooks on which the person ‘hangs’ the items to be remembered.”
There are four variations of the Pegword method: rhyming, meaning, alphabet, and look-alike. In this article, I will share how I implemented the rhyming variation. As I build my number list to help reinforce my skill of memorizing the bible citations, I will also share some advice for making the Pegword method as efficient as possible.
The Pegword Method and Rhyming Variation
The Pegword technique can be traced to the mid-1600s, when Henry Herdson developed a variation of the Memory Palace Method, getting rid of the spatial locations and using only the objects themselves. He associated an object with each digit that resembled its own shape. For instance, one = candle, three = trident, eight = eyeglasses and so forth.
In 1879, John Sambrook introduced to England the rhyming version of the Pegword method. Using rhyming syllables and words, he represented each number as follows:
- one-bun
- two -shoe
- three-tree
- four-door
- five-hive
- six-sticks
- seven-heaven
- eight-gate
- nine-wine
- ten-hen
Implementing the Pegword Method: Project Three
Applying the Pegword method to numbers is a great way to improve my Bible memorization skills, especially for recalling citations. I’ll take this opportunity to build my own customized list using the rhyming variation.
Quick tip: Specificity is paramount in building a high-quality pegword system. That’s why in this exercise, it is suggested that each of the objects associated with the numbers ought to be something that you know in depth. For instance, the “shoe” for number two could be your favorite pair of sneakers.
This is my customized list:
0. Zero is a Hero. “Hero” is the name of a Skillet’s song, a band that I loved and used to listen to when I was a teenager.
1. One is a Gun. The Halo pistol. This gun really reminds me of my video game days.
2. Two is a Tool. Initially, I used a shoe as suggested by Sambrook, but after failing to find a meaningful shoe, I changed it to a tool: My Father’s huge red toolbox.
3. Three is a tree. A guava tree from which I used to pick fruit when I was a child on my grandmother’s farm.
4. Four is a door. The door of my church —it’s the biggest door I see on a regular basis.
5. Five is a hive. It’s one of the biggest hives I’ve ever seen in my life; we found it at a country house we rented for a family trip.
6. Six is drumsticks. My sister’s drumsticks. I kept them in my room for a decade, and when I moved out of my parents house, I finally gave them back to her.
7. Seven is an Evan. Evan Craft is a well-known Christian singer that I used to listen to.
8. Eight is a gate. A huge gate from Ms. Louise’s farm. It’s the gate that separated me from a dog that bit me when I was around six.
9. Nine is wine. In our church, we use symbolic wine. It’s actually grape juice in a small plastic container.
10. Ten is a Ben. Ben 10 is the main character of a popular animated superhero franchise on Cartoon Network. It was one of the last cartoons I was really into.
Final Thoughts
This project was memory-intensive. It was a great experience because I was able to retrieve memories that, though important, had been tucked away for a long time.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve used other rhyming words to pair with these numbers.
In the next article, I will share the second part of this series on the Pegword method, where I’ll explore how to use meaning-based variations.
References
Amiryousefi, M., & Ketabi, S. (2011). Mnemonic instruction: A way to boost vocabulary learning and recall. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(1), 178–182. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.2.1.178-182
Higbee, K. L. (2001). Your memory: How it works and how to improve it (2nd ed.). Marlowe & Co.
Metivier, A. The pegword method: The ultimate guide to memorizing lists. Magnetic Memory Method. https://www.magneticmemorymethod.com/pegword-method/
Wikipedia contributors. Mnemonic peg system. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic_peg_system
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