Mentat Wiki: "Alphabet Systems"
With this technique, you remember a series of letters by connecting the letter shape with the shape of an object. Within this reading, you will find tables that include links to objects that look like the letters that need to be remembered. Take a moment to click on some of those links so you can visualize what is being described.
Also make sure you continue scrolling down below the "Letter Shape System" to learn about the "Letter Sound System," which helps you remember letters by connecting them to words whose pronunciation emphasizes the sounds of the letters you need to remember.
While it is handy to remember things by number, it can occasionally be handy to remember things by letter, as well. Letters suffer the same problem as numbers, in that they're too abstract to deal with directly. Because of this, we can use similar approaches to help remember things by letter.
Letter Shape System
In this system, letters will be remembered using objects that share a similar shape. The links below go to google image searches of the related objects. You may wish to substitute image where they clash with objects you use for numbers.
| Letter | Image |
| A | geometric compass |
| B | brassiere |
| C | banana |
| D | crescent moon |
| E | comb |
| F | scythe |
| G | sickle |
| H | chimney pot |
| I | candle |
| J | hockey stick |
| K | sign post |
| L | L-square |
| M | fedora |
| N | crank handle |
| O | doughnut |
| P | sword with hilt |
| Q | hoop and stick |
| R | pincers |
| S | snake |
| T | sledgehammer |
| U | horseshoe |
| V | hand fan |
| W | badminton birdie |
| X | diabolo |
| Y | martini glass |
| Z | folding ruler |
Letter Sound System
Instead of using the shape of the letter, this system uses words that sound as close as possible to the name of the letter itself.
| Letter | Sound-alike Word |
| A | ape |
| B | bean |
| C | sea |
| D | dean |
| E | eel |
| F | half |
| G | jeans |
| H | itch |
| I | eye |
| J | jay (bird) |
| K | cake |
| L | el (elevated train) |
| M | ham |
| N | hen |
| O | eau (water) |
| P | pea |
| Q | cue (stick) |
| R | art |
| S | ass (donkey) |
| T | tea |
| U | ewe (female sheep) |
| V | veal |
| W | Waterloo |
| X | eggs |
| Y | wine |
| Z | zebra |
For "half" (F), you would simply picture the linked item as being chopped in half. If you wanted to link television to F, you would simply create an image of a half of a television, or picture a television being chopped in half.