Shorthand

Shorthand refers to one of several systems of written communication that use abbreviations for letters, phrases, and words to make writing faster. It is believed to have been invented by the Romans in the first century BCE, though some earlier cultures had languages that included symbols and pictures that represented words rather than individual letters. These cultures include the ancient Sumerians, Egyptians, and Chinese. Learning to write in shorthand was once a standard part of education for those considering a career in business, journalism, and several other fields. Some thought that the invention of the typewriter and the computer, both of which provide faster ways of writing, would end the use of shorthand. However, it is still used by reporters, legal secretaries, physicians, students, and others who want a fast way to take notes or write that does not involve technology beyond a writing utensil and paper.

Background

The Romans are generally credited with producing the first system of shorthand writing. In the year 63 BCE, Roman lawyer Marcus Tillius Cicero, commonly known as Cicero, became a consul in the Roman Senate. He wanted a better, faster way to take notes of the Senate proceedings.

Marcus Tillius, a formerly enslaved person who lived in Cicero's home, served as Cicero's secretary and took up the task. He created a system that became known as Tironian notes. Tiro used this system to take down hundreds of pages of notes dictated by Cicero, making the Roman consul's words among the best recorded in antiquity.

Tironian notetaking became an official part of the Roman governmental system. However, it eventually ran into trouble when those who used it were suspected of writing in code and working in opposition to the authorities. In 534 CE, Byzantine Emperor Justinian I outlawed Tironian notetaking. Shorthand writing systems disappeared from the official record until the twelfth century when a monk named John of Tilbury, a scholar working in the house of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, created a version of shorthand to write down Becket's sermons.

Interest in Tiro's system would enjoy a resurgence when a book of psalms written in Tironian was found in a monastery in the fifteenth century. Over the next several centuries, a few other systems were invented, but they were of limited interest and use. The first of the contemporary systems was created during the nineteenth century. The word shorthand came into use with the development of these systems.

In 1837, Englishman Sir Isaac Pitman invented a phonetic-based system. Pitman shorthand used not only basic strokes of a fountain pen to record letters, but also small symbols next to vowels to indicate how they sounded. It also used the ability of a fountain pen to produce lines of different thicknesses to help differentiate the characters. It used symbols, with strokes for consonants (heavier for voiced sounds) and dots for vowels. Diphthongs are also included, and words are written as they are spoken. Pitman’s system gained widespread popularity and commercial success, and in 1891, his speech was recorded by Edison’s phonograph and delivered to his followers in London. It was imported to the United States and enjoyed some popularity, though it is among the more complicated shorthand systems to learn.

The Gregg system, invented by American John Robert Gregg in 1888, was the most popular system in the United States for a number of years. Gregg was eighteen years old when he developed his own phonetically based system. The Gregg shorthand system is a phonemic method that focuses on the sounds of speech rather than traditional English spelling. It uses elliptical figures and lines that bisect them, allowing for faster writing. This system enabled efficient and rapid transcription by representing speech sounds with simple, fluid symbols. Because it did not depend on the ability to write with thick and thin lines and was less complicated than the Pitman system, it became the dominant system in the United States.

Other contemporary shorthand systems include Speedwriting, created by Columbia University instructor Emma Dearborn about 1924, and Teeline, created by English shorthand teacher James Hill about 1968 as an easier alternative to Pitman. A number of other systems have been invented over the years for special purposes, but are less commonly used. Some have argued that text-speak, used when writing text messages on cellphones, as well as emoticons, the small images that are also part of cellphone communications, are a new contemporary form of shorthand. Emoticons are a form of shorthand because they use a few characters to represent a larger emotion or expression, letting users show feelings quickly without typing full descriptions. They serve as a fast way to express emotions in writing.

Overview

Shorthand systems are generally based on either phonics or the alphabet. Phonetic systems provide a way to differentiate between the sounds made by the various letters, making it easier to provide a way to write homonyms, or words that are spelled the same but sound different. Alphabetic systems use shorter writing strokes to represent the letters of the alphabet and rely more on context to determine what word is meant for homonyms.

Both systems incorporate easily written strokes created in a specific fashion, much like handwriting. However, these strokes are shortened and compressed to represent not only letters of the alphabet but also frequently used words (such as the, by, and as), common phrases (much like USA stands for "United States of America"), and prefixes and suffixes (such as a symbol that represents the word grand and can be used in writing grandmother, grandfather, and grandiose). Certain rules might be applied, such as dropping vowels (ck'd for checked) and connecting strokes to help make the words clearer.

By memorizing specific written strokes, the general rules, and some specific written characters, the writer can record any necessary information. While this requires some work up front, it can enable the shorthand writer to greatly increase writing speed. Some have achieved speeds of more than two hundred words per minute. Most people speak an estimated 110 to 150 words per minute, while fast talkers speak at about 160 to 180 words per minute.

The ability to write as fast, or faster, than most people can speak can be a clear advantage in any type of note-taking situation. While it is difficult to find a school that teaches shorthand in the twenty-first century, most serious journalists still make an effort to learn shorthand and some law firms require their office staff to be trained in it. It is a useful skill for students as well.

In addition to the ability to capture more information and have an edge in certain fields of employment, shorthand provides additional advantages. It is a more discreet method of recording an interview or other conversation than using a recording device or typing on a typewriter. This can be especially important in sensitive notetaking situations where it is important to have the other party feel at ease. It is also easier to retrieve specific information in written notes than on a recording.

Stenography is a shorthand technique used by court reporters with a specialized machine called a "stenotype." By pressing multiple keys simultaneously, known as "chording," they represent syllables or phonetic sounds rather than full words. This allows for rapid transcription of spoken words, which are immediately converted into a readable transcript on the machine's display. The system uses abbreviated symbols, enabling court reporters to keep pace with fast speech, making it ideal for high-speed transcription in the courtroom. Stenography is essentially the same thing as shorthand, as it is a method of writing quickly using symbols and abbreviations to represent words or phrases, allowing for rapid transcription of spoken words. The term "stenography" is simply the technical word for "shorthand" derived from Greek meaning "narrow writing."

In the twenty-first century, shorthand use has declined due to technological advancements like digital recording devices and transcription software. However, it remains a valuable skill in certain professions, particularly court reporting, where real-time note taking is beneficial. Shorthand's relevance in the digital age continues to be debated, especially with modern adaptations such as digital shorthand systems or incorporating shorthand principles into current note-taking methods. Machine shorthand allows for real-time transcription of speech with high speed and accuracy, commonly used by court reporters. Digital shorthand tools incorporate shorthand principles into note-taking applications, which enable faster documentation. Voice recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are also being integrated to provide automatic shorthand transcription and further improve efficiency. These advancements make shorthand relevant in industries like law, journalism, and medical transcription, where it is extremely important to have quick and accurate documentation.

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