Pitman Shorthand Instructor and Key

Pitman Shorthand Instructor and Key, a complete exposition of Sir Isaac Pitman's system of shorthand.

Key Principles of Pitman Shorthand:

• Phonetic System: The system, originally named "Phonography," is based on representing spoken sounds by characters; words are written as they are pronounced, not according to ordinary spelling.

• Alphabet: It uses simple geometrical forms—the straight line and shallow curve—to represent the consonant sounds. The Pitmanic alphabet comprehends the thirty-six broad typical sounds of the English language.

• Characters:

  • Consonants: The first sixteen consonants form pairs with the same articulation but light and heavy sounds (e.g., p and b). The light sound is represented by a thin stroke, and the heavy sound by the same stroke written thick. Consonants are classified as Explodents, Continuants, Nasals, Liquids, Coalescents, and the Aspirate.

  • Vowels: There are six simple long vowels (represented by a heavy dot or dash) and six corresponding short vowels (represented by a light dot or dash).

• Vowel Placement and Position:

  • Vowel signs are placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a stroke, corresponding to first-, second-, and third-place vowels.

  • Vowels are read before a downstroke/upstroke if on the left, and after if on the right. With horizontal strokes, they are read before if placed above, and after if placed below.

  • The first sounded vowel in a word determines the position of the outline: first position (above the line) for first-place vowels, second position (on the line) for second-place vowels, and third position (through the line) for third-place vowels.

Abbreviating Devices and Additional Forms:

• Grammalogues/Logograms: Frequently occurring words are represented by a single sign.

• Phraseography: The writing of two or more words together without lifting the pen, resulting in a phraseogram.

• Tick the: The word the is expressed by a light slanting tick joined to a preceding character.

• Circles and Loops: A small circle represents S or Z (initially S only); a large initial circle represents SW; a small loop represents ST; and a large loop represents STR (medially or finally).

• Hooks: Small initial hooks add R or L to straight strokes (Right motion for R, Left motion for L); small final hooks add N (Right motion) or F/V (Left motion) to straight strokes.