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- ^Tutorial 9 - Transposing Numbers to Words and Phrases\
-
- Having learned how to translate |digits\ into |letters\, the next step is
- learning how to transpose <numbers\ into <words\ and <phrases\. Once you
- have transposed a number into a word or phrase, it can easily be memorised
- using the principle of Association of Ideas.
-
- For example, take the number 9520. Let's imagine that it is your P.I.N.
- (Personal Identification Number) for a Cash Point card which you have been
- issued by your bank or building society. You need to remember the number
- but, for obvious security reasons, you don't wish to keep a written record
- of it.
-
- In order to transpose 9520 into a word, you simply transpose the digits to
- letters one by one, then join those consonant sounds together using any
- suitable vowels. The consonant phonetic sounds in the number 9520 translate
- as follows :
-
- >9\ transposes to >p or b\
- >5\ transposes to >l\
- >2\ transposes to >n\
- >0\ transposes to >s, z, or soft c\#
- This gives us several possible words which can be formed from these letters,
- using any 'filler' vowels you choose. Some examples are :
-
- >balloons\ (b-a-ll-oo-n-s) (double letters count as one sound
- 9 5 2 0 except where they $make\ two sounds)
-
- >pylons\ (p-y-l-o-n-s)
- 9 5 2 0
-
- >balance\ (b-a-l-a-n-ce)
- 9 5 2 0
-
- To remember the number 9520, you simply choose one of these words, and
- memorise it. Let's say you choose >ballons\. Once you have memorised it,
- the word 'balloons' ^must\ lead you back to the number 9520 - simply remove
- the vowels and transpose the consonant sounds one at a time.
-
- But how do you connect the word 'balloons' to your PIN number ? Easy -
- you simply form a mental association between balloons and your Cash Point
- card, or between ballons and the cash dispensing machine. For example,
- picture yourself inserting your card into a cash dispensing machine, and
- ^billions of balloons\ fly out of the machine and hit you in the face.#
- Once you have made that ludicrous association you will not forget it - and
- once you remember 'balloons' it ^must\ lead you back to your PIN number -
- 9520. If you have a Cash Point card, or any type of card with a P.I.N, try
- it now, with your own number. Form a word from the number, then associate
- it to your card or cash dispensing machine. Remember to make the association
- as ridiculous as possible. Do that right now, before reading any further.
-
- Let's take another example, this time a telephone number. Imagine you have
- a friend called Fred, and that you are constantly forgetting his telephone
- number, which is 941680. This number is a bit too long to easily transpose
- into one word, so we need two words, or a phrase.
-
- Some examples of words which can be formed from 941680 are :
-
- |parrot jives\ (p-a-rr-o-t j-i-v-e-s)
- 9 4 1 6 8 0
-
- |bread shoves\ (b-r-ea-d sh-o-v-e-s)
- 9 4 1 6 8 0
-
- |pirate shaves\ (p-i-r-a-t-e sh-a-v-e-s)
- 9 4 1 6 8 0#
-
- To remember Fred's telephone, simply associate one of these to a picture of
- Fred using the telephone. For example, Fred is talking on the telephone
- while a |parrot jives\ on top of his head. Or Fred is talking on the
- telephone and he has a huge pile of |bread\ which he |shoves\ down the
- telephone receiver as he speaks into it. Whenever you think of Fred using
- the telephone you would then be reminded of, say , 'parrot jives' , which
- ^must\ lead you back to his telephone number - 941680.
-
- Before proceeding, try the system now, with the telephone numbers of three
- or four of your friends.
-
- There are two main pitfalls to avoid when learning how to apply the Phonetic
- Alphabet - transposing according to letter rather than sounds, and counting
- a double letter as two sounds instead of one. Always remember that it is
- the ^sounds\ that count, not the actual spelling.
-
- For example, the letter |s\ in the word |television\ transposes to 6, not
- zero - the 's' maks a soft |'sh'\ sound. Similarly, the letter >t\ in the
- word >audition\ transposes to 6, not 1.#
-
- The double letter 't' in the word 'matter' transposes to 1, ^not\ 11.
- However, a double letter can sometimes make ^two sounds\, in which case both
- sounds count. For example the double 'c' in the word 'accident' would
- transpose to 70, because the ^sound\ produced is ^'ks'\, as in 'axe'.
-
- Finally, note that silent letters do not count phonetically, because they
- make no ^sound\. So the word 'knight' would transpose to 21, not 721 -
- the silent 'k' is not counted.
-
- In Tutorial 10 you will be shown how to transpose long numbers into several
- words and then link those words together using the Link memory system.
-
- But first you will need some practice at transposing words to numbers. Press
- Page Down to test yourself.~