# Mnemonics **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 5, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891 "2007-05-05T15:47:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/1 "2007-05-05T15:47:31Z")
I’m fascinated by mnemonics, those phrases and poems to help you remember stuff. As an electronicer I well know the one for the color code order: Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly From my interest in astronomy, the order of the planets: Mother Very Thoughtfully Made A Jelly Sandwich Under No Protest – guess that one will have to be edited with Pluto’s demotion. One of my interests is heraldry. Blazoning is in a world of its own with terms and usages seen no where else, mostly in French (gemel? mullet?). Since I don’t do it regularly, I have to refresh it from time to time and yesterday I came across a neat primer by the SCA. One of the things I could _never_ remember are the gouttes (drops). They’re just a stylized shape in the standard tinctures (colors) but can they be described with the usual names for colors? No, they are described by what _kind_ of drop (French bastards). Anyway, the primer had a neat song useful for correlating the goutte to its proper tincture (Earworm warning!) D’eau: a goutte, a silver goutte. D’or: a drop of golden sun. D’huile: a name for olive gouttes. Poix: a pitch-drop on the run. Sangue: a needle-prick that’s bled. Larmes: the tears of blue that flow. Vin: a drink with thou and bread That will bring us back to d’eau d’eau d’eau d’eau …Here is the [page in question](http://www.sca.org/heraldry/primer/goutes.html). So, what mnemonics do you know? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/2 "2007-05-05T16:09:29Z")
A couple from biology: Classification: Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species. _King Philip came over from Germany stoned._ The 12 cranial nerves: Olfactory Optic Oculomotor Trochlear Trigeminal Abducens Facial Auditory Glossopharyngeal Vagus Spinal-Accessory Hypoglossal Clean version: _On old Olympus towering top, A Finn and German viewed some hops._ Dirty version (the one everyone actually used) _Oh oh oh! To touch and feel a girl’s vagina! Such heaven!_ ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/3 "2007-05-05T16:13:15Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] Classification: Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species. _King Philip came over from Germany stoned._ [/QUOTE] I learned _King Peter Could Only Fuck Golden Sheep_. Also, I never realized a “clean” version existed for the cranial nerves! ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/4 "2007-05-05T16:25:55Z")
I also know a variant of the dirty cranial nerve mnemonic. Of course you also need to know whether each cranial nerve carriers sensory information, motor, or both giving you this mnemonic: Some Say Money Matters But My Brother Says Big Boobs Matter Most And there are various ways to remember the branches of cranial nerve 7: Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Mandibular, Cervical To Zanzibar By Motor Car Two Zebras Bit My Cock Two Zebras Bit My Chihuahua ---
**Author:** ![tbdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@tbdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbdi)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/5 "2007-05-05T16:30:14Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] From my interest in astronomy, the order of the planets: Mother Very Thoughtfully Made A Jelly Sandwich Under No Protest – guess that one will have to be edited with Pluto’s demotion. [/QUOTE] Mary’s Violet Eyes Made John Sit Up Nights (Planning) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/6 "2007-05-05T16:52:03Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] Also, I never realized a “clean” version existed for the cranial nerves! [/QUOTE] I used to teach anatomy lab for pre-nursing students, almost all of whom were female. We had to have a clean version for public consumption. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/7 "2007-05-05T17:55:17Z")
**DesertDog** I’m surprised that you don’t know another astronomy mnemonic. This is for memorizing stellar spectral classes from hottest to coolest: \*\*O B A F G K M R N S \*\* _Oh be a fine girl, kiss me right now sweetheart._ I bet someone will come along with the “dirty” version. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/8 "2007-05-05T18:16:18Z")
[Two earlier](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=396535&highlight=Finn+and+German) threads [you may enjoy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=111475&highlight=Finn+and+German) ---
**Author:** ![hocow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hocow/32/4112_2.png) [@hocow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hocow)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/9 "2007-05-05T20:28:21Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] From my interest in astronomy, the order of the planets: Mother Very Thoughtfully Made A Jelly Sandwich Under No Protest – guess that one will have to be edited with Pluto’s demotion. [/QUOTE] Thoughtfully? Shouldn’t that be an ‘E’ word? My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/10 "2007-05-05T22:35:39Z")
[QUOTE=hocow] Thoughtfully? Shouldn’t that be an ‘E’ word? My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies [/QUOTE] Now it’s “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nachos” ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/11 "2007-05-06T01:27:11Z")
Here’s a local one: Old Maids Never Wed and Have Babies That’s for the first stops, outbound from Philadelphia, along the Main Line (yes _that_ Main Line) of the old Pennsylvania Railroad (now SEPTA’s R5 Paoli). Overbrook, Merion, Narberth, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Haverford and Bryn Mawr, all in order. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/12 "2007-05-06T01:32:08Z")
[QUOTE=hocow] Thoughtfully? Shouldn’t that be an ‘E’ word? [/QUOTE] It’s “T” for “Terra”. There’s a couple I learned back in high school:[ul][_]Colors of the spectrum: Roy G Biv (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)[_]The Great Lakes: Super Man Helps Every One (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario), which has a slight advantage over “HOMES” in that it’s in order from West to East[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/13 "2007-05-06T03:26:30Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Borgia] Now it’s “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nachos” [/QUOTE] Ahh youngens My very educated mother just showed us nine planets. Yea that’s right, Pluto. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/14 "2007-05-06T03:32:06Z")
I remember another one for Biology: Kevin Please Come Over For Gay Sex Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/15 "2007-05-06T04:32:42Z")
[QUOTE=wolf\_meister] **DesertDog** I’m surprised that you don’t know another astronomy mnemonic. This is for memorizing stellar spectral classes from hottest to coolest: \*\*O B A F G K M R N S \*\* _Oh be a fine girl, kiss me right now sweetheart._ I bet someone will come along with the “dirty” version. [/QUOTE] I knew that one, **Wolf** , but I didn’t want to list _every_ mnemonic I knew in the OP. Besides, I didn’t think of it. I knew the _On Old Olympus_ mnemonic for cranial nerves, but the names of the nerves themselves had faded in the mists of time. Keep 'em coming, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/16 "2007-05-06T04:36:48Z")
Please Excuse my Dear Aunt Sally Parentheses, exponents, Multiply/Divide, Add/Subtract (Order of operations) I always hated Mnemonics. It’s so much easier to remember PEMDAS. I know it’s much easier to remember RBBSFBH (Responsiveness, breathing, bleeding, shock, fractures, burns, head injury…steps to evaluating a casualty) that it is to remember…eh, whatever sententce it was they taught us to remember. I also prefer the planets as MVEMJSURP. Am I alone on this? ---
**Author:** ![Delly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Delly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delly)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/17 "2007-05-06T17:55:35Z")
The lines on a music scale, EGBDF - every good boy deserves fun, that and the my very educated mother just showed us nine planets which Joey P already mentioned are the only ones I remember learning ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/18 "2007-05-06T18:35:55Z")
I learnt the colours of the spectrum at school using the mnemonic “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain”. The “dirty” version (in reverse order) was more popular: “Virgins In Bed, Get Your Organs Ready”. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/19 "2007-05-06T21:19:23Z")
Am I the only one who doesn’t get the point of such things? Why is it easier to memorize two things (the menmonic+the words the represent) rather than just memorize the thing you actually need to remember? OTOH, I never had a problem with memorizing things by rote. Besides HOMES (great lakes) and Roy G BIV (colors in a rainbow) the only one I can recall learning is Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge… but I forget what it was for! ---
**Author:** ![Delly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Delly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delly)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891/20 "2007-05-06T21:48:28Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] Besides HOMES (great lakes) and Roy G BIV (colors in a rainbow) the only one I can recall learning is Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge… but I forget what it was for! [/QUOTE] The lines on a music scale, I mentioned it already but we had fun instead of fudge [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mnemonics/402891.md?page=2)