change_vec2 <- function(vec){ tb <- c("DD" = "joker", "C" = "ace", "7" = "king", "B" = "queen", "BB" = "jack", "BBB" = "ten", "0" = "nine") unname(tb[vec]) } system.time(change_vec(many)) ----- write code should be system.time(change_vec2(many))