Assimilative Memory; or, How to Attend and Never ForgetLoisette, A. (Alphonse)
Science
Assimilative Memory; or, How to Attend and Never Forget
Loisette, A. (Alphonse)
Mnemonics
11. Never try to find _analytic_ date or number words until you _know
the material facts connected with the date or number_ before you. The
student wishes to fix the date of Voltaire's birth, in 1694. "The
Shaper" and "The Giber" occur to him. If he is ignorant of the facts of
Voltaire's life, he will correlate thus: "_Vol_taire ... (1) ...
volatile ... (2) ... 'fixed' ... (1) ... 'The Shaper' {Th}e {Sh}a{p}e{r}
(1694);" or "Vol_taire_ ... (1) ... tear to pieces ... (1) ... mocking
dissector ... (1) ... {Th}e {G}i{b}e{r} (1694)." If he had known that
Voltaire was a born writer, he would have found the analytic relation in
"Voltaire ... {Th}e {Sh}a{p}e{r} (1694)" or if he had known that he was a
terrible mocker, he would have said: "Voltaire ... {Th}e {G}i{b}e{r}
(1694)." If he wished to fix the date of the discovery of America, he
might think of "{T}e{r}ra{p}i{n}" (a large tide-water turtle, abounding
in Maryland), and correlate thus: "Discovery of America ... (1) ...
Maryland ... (3) ... {T}e{r}ra{p}i{n} (1492)." But if he remembers that
Con. covers all cases of Cause and Effect, Instrument or Means to End,
Person by whom, &c., and if he reflects that this discovery has been a
blessing to the Old as well as the New World, he would say: "Discovery
of America ... (3) {T}{r}ue {B}oo{n} (1492)." Or, if he considers that the
moment America was made known to Europe the whole of the Western
Continent was open to every new-comer, he would find analytic date-words
thus: "Discovery of America ... (3) ... {D}oo{r} o{p}e{n} (1492)." If he
merely wants to fix the fraction 92, he could use the first two
consonants of the name of one of his ships, and say: "Discovery of
America ... {P}i{n}ta (1492)."
ISOLATED FACTS.
Correlate an _Isolated Fact_ to something (to some fact in its
environment or _entourage_ that is BEST KNOWN and) which you are sure to
THINK OF when you wish to recall the Isolated Fact.
HOW TO REMEMBER PROPER NAMES WHEN INTRODUCED.
An infallible method of remembering proper names is (1) Get the name
when introduced. If not quite sure, ask for it. (2) _Pronounce_ the
_name aloud_ whilst _looking at_ the person. Do this several times, if
possible. The object is to produce a concurrence or connection between
the _sight-image of the Person_ and a _sound-image of his Name_. (3) To
help the ear for sound, always pronounce everyone's name aloud whenever
you meet him. This helps nature. These directions carried out never fail
to make a pupil perfect in remembering proper names.
To remember PROPER NAMES in the absence of the person, correlate the
Person's Name to the name of some Peculiarity of the Person (as the BEST
KNOWN and) which you are sure to THINK of whenever you think of the
Person. If you _memorise_ the Correlation, you will recall the Name
whenever you think of this Peculiarity (whatever struck you about him).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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