The Letter Shapes Of The English Alphabet A - Z

General Memory Chat
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The Letter Shapes Of The English Alphabet A - Z

This is a part of “The Shaper System”
The shaper system I use is to create the number shapes from 0-9 and 00 - 99, and the letter shapes from A-Z.

While I was creating images for the shaper system for the numbers, I stumbled upon a new discovery with the letter shapes as some of the numbers converted into a single letter. I did some search on google, here at this forum, books, videos etc. and could not find any source for the full list of the 26 Letter Shapes Of The English Alphabet.

So I decided to also create my own letter shapes.
I’d suggest creating your own letter shapes, however I’ve listed my shapes here to give you a head start.
Hope it’s useful for us all.

I’d also like to hear what letter shapes you use.

Here are my Letter Shapes from A - Z .

A = Peg
B = Sunglasses
C = Banana
D = Tongue out
E = Comb

F = Toothbrush
G = Ear
H = Step Ladder
I = Needle
J = Umbrella

K - Table [tilted]
L - A Gun [tilted]
M - Spider
N - Compass [North]
O - Bracelet | Tyre

P - Flag on a pole | Sword [tilted]
Q - Magnifier | Tiara [birds eye view] | Balloon | Ring
R - Ribbon Badge
S - Snake
T - Cross

U - Cup | Horse Shoe
V - Necklace | Ice-Cream Cone
W - Vampire Teeth
X - Plasters
Y - Slingshot | Funnel
Z - Escalator

This list took me a good while to create, but now when I look at a Letter, I don’t have to think. It’s an instant recognition of the image when I see the letter. Although I can immediately recognise the images, I am still not happy with a few of them, so within some time I may make some changes to a few of the letters.

What are your letter shapes? What does it do?

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Excellent set of mnemonics :slight_smile:
.

.

Here are some of my beginner’s suggestions. These suggestions are not to be regarded as superior. Rather, they are intended to add to the gene pool, since even a poor suggestion can spark genius in someone else.

A: artist’s easel. Might allow the next image to be painted on the canvas.
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/painting+easel

D: bow minus the arrow.

L: a putter (as in golf).
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/illustration-golf-clubs-on-white-background-339840611?src=SAGNGCTF0Sd0g0Qm6OZaJA-1-0

A possible advantage of putter vs gun is that the putter is already in the correct attitude, whereas the gun must be rotated 90 degress clockwise.

J: shinty stick. Shinty is a prehistoric game played by the Scots and Irish. Similar to hockey, but with more deaths:

A shinty stick:
http://www.shintyshop.com/shinty-sticks-tapes/

You can see that the putter (above) has an angle at the heel, but the shinty stick has a curved heel like a “J”

N: a ski-jump. It has a vertical climb up to the peak, followed by a partial “U” for the downhill portion.

O: tunnel. Possibly has more scope for “actions”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iWvedIhWjM
It has a sound: a very satisfying “splat!!”

P: executioner’s axe, as used by Itchy in the Itchy and Scratchy show. Plenty of blood and gore. Hidden director shouts “Cut”.

R: Desperate Dan answering the call of nature.

T: a T-junction. Possibly presents more opportunity for “actions”. For example, I see Itchy running up the T, then turns sharp left. A mirror at the junction causes his image to turn sharp right. Scratchy tries the same trick, but he splits down the middle. Plenty of blood and gore. Hidden director shouts “Cut”.

U: possibly one of those U-shaped skateboard jumping things. Allows some actions.

V: a formation of angry hornets attacking something on the ground - possibly a bear who is stealing honey. Plenty of buzzing.

X: a sawhorse. Maybe it would allow lots of horrible activities to take place. Plenty of blood and gore. Hidden director shouts “Cut”:
http://www.gardenmachinerydirect.co.uk/accessories-attachments/stihl-wooden-chainsaw-sawhorse.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn-3Dhurt2AIVzZztCh1fjwGqEAQYBCABEgLfwfD_BwE

Z: diving platform, with a single platform. In order to visualize this, the base needs to be pulled to the right, so that the support slopes down from left to right.

Possibly presents opportunities for some crazy visualizations.

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Thank you OldGrantonian.
“Excellent set of mnemonics :-)”

I also like your list!

I do like your “A” as Easel - and painting as the action on the next object. Great one!

your D - Makes sense, I like it, it has an action, and possibly a Woosh sound. Nice!

L is great - Yes the shape of it is already in the right form and has an action. Very nice!
I might use this myself.

J - a Shinty - Brilliant!
This could be confusing with the L and J as both are hitting a ball, but I think if the image is strongly programmed into the mind then I think it should be fine.

Your N is good - when used with the next object, I can see that any object can be ski jumping. Great!

I’m not so sure about your O and P . But if it works for you then that’s good.

As for T - I did think of a T-Junction, however it didn’t have any action to it, so I thought of a hammer first and then decided to stick to the Cross. I might change it back to the Hammer. But Whatever works for you is great.

Your U and V are good, not sure about your X.

Your Z is great. I thought of a Zebra at first, Zebra crossing, Lines of the Zebra, or just Zebra itself. But an escalator made a little more sense as it can carry the next object without a lot of reasoning.

I’ve made a few notes about some of your shapes in my spreadsheet. Thank you.

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J could be a saxophone, an alpine horn, a Jewish shofar or a shepherd’s crook.

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This looks like fun. I have tried modifying some of your ideas to try to capture an action theme:

A = Lean-to
B = Terminator (Sunglasses)
C = Pac-Man
D = Bow (minus arrow)
E = Barber Shop (Comb)
F = Overnight travel bag (Toothbrush)
G =One-man helicopter (without props)
H = Ladder
I = Flute
J = Umbrella
K - Picnic table
L - Gun with silencer
M - Spider
N - Fence
O - Tunnel
P - Executioner’s axe
Q - Private Eye (Magnifying Glass)
R - Man peeing
S - Snake
T - Cross (as in crucifixion)
U - U-Shaped skateboard park
V - Woman’s neckline
W - Vampire (Teeth)
X - Caltrop (or Czech hedgehog)
Y - Slingshot
Z - External fire escape stairway

As I practice with it, I tend to imagine scenes in a bizarre James Bond style.

I am sure everybody remembers the James Bond movies where he had to fight the Terminator, vampires and Pac-Man. :smiley:

Regards,

Darn

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I should add that my ideal is use this to create mini-stories with actual plots (silly ones, of course) rather than just a string of interactions.

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hmm What does a Jewish shofar look like :slight_smile:

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Tarnation, ( Darn )
I like your associations and your idea of scenes!
It seems you are very specific, I like it.

Terminator sunglasses, Arnold, yes! love it. “I’ll be back!”

L - Gun with silencer - That’s great. How would you add sound to it with a silencer :slight_smile:
Asta la vista baby - Again Arnold is here except he doesn’t use a silencer :slight_smile:

G =One-man helicopter (without props) - Great!

I = Flute - Yep, nice!
What tune are you playing each time you see it?

K - Picnic table
Yes, it looks more like a picnic table, my table was actually an ironing table.

C = Pacman
I especially like this one!

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Based on @tarnation’s idea, I might feel more comfortable with “G” as Pac-Man, and “C” as banana.

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As I was trying it out, I thought it might be a good idea to let A be more than just a lean-to. It could also be an A-frame house, an attic or a teepee. Since the letter comes up a lot, it might be nice to have the variety.

As for the letter I=Flute, I am wondering if I like that or not. I might switch it for something else but I am not sure. Maybe a syringe. Syringes don’t look like much, but in the context of a story with a plot, they can have a few purposes. I suppose I could use both.

What is important (to me) is to be able to generate a somewhat coherent story line.

The reason that is important to me is that I have found the act of building a story tends to improve retention. The brain is good at a number of things. One of them is remembering a story–provided it is interesting and is coherent enough to makes some sort of sense.

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A-frame house, an attic or a teepee. These are all great.

I=Flute, I am wondering if I like that or not. I might switch it for something else
I’ve done that a few times, and lately I decided it was a Needle, because I can stick the needle into the next object.

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H might be represented by a space launchpad. One leg of the H is the gantry. The other leg is the rocket. The horizontal part is the umbilical cord.

There’s plenty of action and noise :slight_smile:

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“H might be represented by a space launchpad.”
I like that, I can see is the rocket going straight thru the next object!

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Thank you,guys…

Here is what I have come up with following your list:

Letter Shapes of Alphabet
A Compass (measurement)
B Sunglass
C Pac man
D Bow
E Comb
F Toothbrush
G Ear
H Step Ladder
I Stick
J Hockey stick
K Table(tilted)
L Pistol(tilted)
M Spider
N Spring(tilted iron spring)
O Egg
P Flag/Axe
Q Magnifying Glass
R Man peeing
S Hook(S Shaped Hook)
T Cross
U Cup
V Cone Icecream
W Vampire Teeth
X Hand Victory Sign
Y Sling shot
Z Duck
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In the following link, scroll down to the etching on the left. That’s a perfect “J”.

I think it makes a noise like an alpenhorn. So you have sound.

A saxophone would have the same effect.

The next object can appear out of the horn of the instrument - like the genii coming out of the lamp.

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For “R”, I still think Desperate Dan is better than just any generic male. The upper part of the “R” is Desperate Dan’s chest - which was immediately recognizable even if he was in disguise. See the following link, and scroll down to his statue on the left:

Using DD allows you to create havoc with the next object. DD can bend locomotive engines with one hand, it, throw it into outer space, crush it, dismember it. No generic male could do that - not even me. DD, by himself, repelled many invading armies from south of the border.

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Thank you for your suggestion. Will check it out…

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Hi Erol,
Here are my Letter Shapes from A - Z. I have been able to get all the pictures from clip art. I have been able to cut and paste on an Excel file. I also put all pictures inside a folder And I name the like:
"O__BEACH BALL
"I__ CANDLE.
so that they line up in alphabetical order.
I then print screen the open folder, drop it in “Paint”. I can cut the part I want and paste in an excel file, cut the next parts and collage into same excel file.

A = Geometric compass
B = Sunglasses
C = Croissant; Banana
D = Bow without the arrow
E = Trident, pitchfork, devil’s fork
F = Forearmcrutch; scythe
G = Vise grip; Ear
H = Binoculars
I = Candle;
J = Umbrella
K - Ballerina; Table [tilted]
L - Metallic square ruler (used by brick layer)
M - Camel back; Spider
N - Folding(Flexible) ruler (Flexible ruler used by brick layer)
O - Beach ball; Bracelet;| Tyre
P - Flag on a pole; Cutlass; pirate knife
Q - Magnifier
R - Faucet(lower case “r”); Pincer
S - Snake
T - Pickaxe; Mushroom
U - Horse Shoe
V - Ice-Cream Cone; thong for ice cube
W - Brassiere;
X - Pair of scissors
Y - Slingshot;
Z - Zorro

Joel Alexandre

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I like how C and S match not just in shape but also in initial letter… for the same reason I’d use B for bra and change W to vampire teeths …just my two cents.

I like your image for K by the way… in a modern art kind of way… pretty imaginative.

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Great Job! I do what you do. I have cleaned up all my images and saved as transparent png.

I like your F = Forearm-Crutch.
My F is Toothbrush as it has a natural action and a sound. But your F is also a good one I might use as a secondary shape.

X - Pair of scissors is also good. Nice action and a sound to it.
As a secondary one I also use ChopSticks.

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