Shortland

Shorthand

Shorthand is any system of rapid handwriting which can be used to transcribe
the spoken word. Shorthand systems use a variety of techniques including
simplifying existing letters or characters and using special symbols
to represent phonemes, words and phrases.

A brief history of shorthand systems

Ever since the invention of writing scribes have used various techniques to enable them
to take notes quickly and efficiently.

The Ancient Egyptians devised two scripts, Hieratic
and Demotic, as alternatives to their complex
Hieroglyphic script, which was used mainly for monumental
inscriptions. Both Hieratic and Demotic worked on the same principles as the Hieroglyphs
but the symbols were considerably simplified.

During the 4th century BC, the Greeks devised a number of symbol systems which reduced
letters to a single stroke and which could also be used to represent common words, suffixes
and prefixes. Such systems are generally referred to as stenography (narrow writing),
brachygraphy (short writing) or tachygraphy (swift writing). Their purpose was to make writing
more compact and/or faster.

One shorthand system popular with the Romans was Tironian Notes or Notae Tironianae,
which was invented by Cicero’s secretary Tiro in order to record Cicero’s speeches. It used
a combination of simplified letters and special symbols and was used in Europe in various forms
until the Middle Ages.

During the Han Dynasty (207BC – 220AD) the Chinese devised two methods of rapid writing
known as xíngshū (running script) and căoshū
(grass script). In the Running script some of the strokes that make up characters are joined
and others are left out. In the Grass script each character is written with a single continuous
stroke and there is considerable variation in how this is done. As a result, the Grass script
is very difficult to read without special training. Attempts have been made to standardise
the way the characters are written in the Grass script but they have not met with popular
acclaim.

Modern shorthand systems

There are many different shorthand systems currently in use. The most popular ones include:

Pitman Shorthand

Pitman Shorthand was devised by Sir Isaac Pitman (1813-1897) and was first published in 1837. Over
the years is has been gradually improved and has been also adapted for 15 different languages. The
system was widely used in the UK and USA by secretaries, reporters and writers, but lost popularity
with the invention of pocket tape recorders.

Notable features

Pitman is phonetic: it records the sounds of speech rather than
the spelling. For example, the sound [f] in form,
elephant and rough is written in the same way
for each word.
Vowel sounds are optional and are written with small dots, dashes or other shapes next
to the main strokes. This helps increase writing speed because most words can be identified
from their consonants only.
The thickness, length and position of the strokes are all significant.
There are many special abbreviations and other tricks to increase writing speed.
The record for fast writing with Pitman shorthand is 350 wpm during a two-minute
test by Nathan Behrin in 1922.

Pitman consonants

Pitman vowels

Pitman abbreviations

Sample text in Pitman

Sample text in Pitman Shorthand

‘Translation’

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Gregg Shorthand

Gregg was invented by John Robert Gregg (1867-1948) and was first published in 1888. Since then
many different versions have appeared, including some for languages other than English. Gregg
is still used, particularly in the USA.

Notable features

Gregg is phonetic: it records the sounds of speech rather than the spelling. For example,
the sound [f] in form, elephant and rough is written in the same way
for each word.
Vowels are written as hooks and circles on the consonants.

Shortland

Shorthand

A brief history of shorthand systems

Modern shorthand systems

Pitman Shorthand

Notable features

Pitman consonants

Pitman vowels

Pitman abbreviations

Sample text in Pitman

‘Translation’

Gregg Shorthand

Notable features

Gregg consonants

Gregg vowels

Gregg punctuation

Gregg sample text

‘Translation’

Links

Shorthand

A brief history of shorthand systems

Modern shorthand systems

Pitman Shorthand

Notable features

Pitman consonants

Pitman vowels

Pitman abbreviations

Sample text in Pitman

‘Translation’

Gregg Shorthand

Notable features

Gregg consonants

Gregg vowels

Gregg punctuation

Gregg sample text

‘Translation’

Links

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