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Also known as shorthand writing, Stenography is a writing method that uses symbols and abbreviations to represent words and phrases. This type of writing makes it easier to copy long sentences and it improves the brevity of the thought that was recorded. The word Stenography came from the Greek words stenos which means narrow and graphie which means writing.

This writing style of stenography is also known as Brachygraphy or Tachygraphy. The word brachys means short while the word tachys means swift. Knowing Stenography is an advantage of secretaries and journalists. Meanwhile, it is very important in judicial proceedings for the court reporter records the testimonies and proceedings of the hearing. Vital as it may be, this form of writing is said to be a lost art due to technological advancements in word processing.

History of Stenography

The first known form of Stenography dates back to 4th century BC in Ancient Greece.  In this writing style, vowels were modified to depict consonants. In Middle Egypt, contracts were written in shorthand form. In Ancient Rome, Marcus Tullius Turo created the Tironian notes to record the speeches of Cicero. Initially, there were 4,000 Tironian shorthand symbols, eventually growing to about 13,000 symbols.

During the Imperial China ages, shorthand writing is depicted in a cursive form of Chinese characters. It was also during this time that Stenography was first used in court reporting. The recorded testimonies and proceedings must be certified using a seal, a thumb mark or a signature.

Stenography developed during the late 16th century

Timothy Bright published his book "Characterie: An Arte of Shorte, Swifte and Secrete Writing by Character" in 1588. After Bright, subsequent books about shorthand writing were published by John Willis, Edmund Willis and Thomas Shelton. Shelton's system became popular because it was used by the likes of Samuel Pepys and Sir Isaac Newton.

One of the more popular Stenography systems is the one developed by Sir Isaac Pittman, M. P in 1837. In the Pittman system, words are transcribed through sound writing while vowels are optional if the word is recognizable even with consonants. The Pittman writing system gave birth to Japanese stenography styles such as the Waseda, the Nakane and the Sangiin. In 1888, John Robert Gregg developed his own shorthand system which is based on thin strokes and the length of the stroke.

Classification of Stenography methods

There are three main classifications of Stenography methods: geometric, semi-script and script. Geometric stenography is based on lines and circles and the best examples of which are the shorthand methods developed by Robert Boyd, Pittmann and Samuel Taylor. Meanwhile, semi-script Stenography is based on ellipses and this is best exemplified by Gregg's system and Italian Stenography. Script Stenography closely resembles normal writing patterns and the writing methods developed by Simon Bordley and Franz Xaver Gabelsberger.

Vowel Representation in Stenography

Since shorthand writing aims for brevity, representing vowels are done in different ways. The two prominent representations of vowels are the Abjad and Abugida systems. The Abjad system represents vowels by placing dots before and after the symbol. Abjads come in two forms: marked and positional. Marked Abjad represent vowels with dots and ticks around the consonants while positional Abjad bases vowel representation by its height in relation to the word.

On the other hand, the Abugida system represents vowels depending on the shape of the stroke. Mixed Abugida denotes vowels using the width of the joining stroke after the consonant.

Stenography in Court Reporting

The use of Stenography is very evident in the court room wherein a court reporter encodes the testimonies, cross-examinations and proceedings in a court case by using shorthand writing. Before typewriters and computers were made, court reporting relied heavily on Stenography and the court reporter listens to every word spoken without disturbance. The court reporter's work is often consulted by the judge or the jury regarding the resolution of the case.

In the old days, court reporters have to write down every part of the court hearing. Due to the advancements in technology, court reporters can now use a Stenotype. The Stenotype has a specialized keyboard and court reporters must produce at least 225 error-free words per minute from this machine to be qualified for the position. Also, the court reporter has to verify that the computer dictionary that will read their transcription is in sync with their work. The court reporter also has to prepare written reports after the proceedings.

Stenography in the Workplace

Stenography in the office is usually done by secretaries to document meetings and transactions among office workers or third-party clients. Once the secretary has taken down all the proceedings in a meeting, he will transcribe it into a correspondence and he will furnish a copy for everyone who was in the meeting. After a few meetings, he can encode common words, phrases or sentences into a transcriber for faster results.

Stenography Etiquette

Stenography, especially in court reporting, is a serious craft. Only the qualified and the disciplined can handle this job with proper decorum. To be a successful court reporter, you must have the patience to take note of every detail of a proceeding that might take hours to complete. After one hearing, you would have to cover the case and work extensively during the next court date.

Court reporters must also be sincere with their profession and devoid themselves of biases that they might acquire from the proceedings. Using Stenography, he must report the proceedings according to the way they have unfolded and he must keep his transcription sacred.
Stenographers must work in a comfortable set-up to be able to focus on the task at hand. He has to be seated with ease in a well-lit area wherein he can freely move so that he can easily record every word said. Since a disciplined crowd inside a court room can turn rowdy, a court reporter must have an unabated sense of concentration under any circumstances.

The familiarity of the language being used is an advantage to stenographers. After the first syllable has been stated, they can already anticipate the word that will be said and record it accurately. Finally, the stenographer must have a positive mindset that he can get the job done.

The Lost Art of Stenography

Due to faster word processing systems, Stenography is regarded as a lost art. Fewer companies give importance to stenographers and they use voice or video recording instead. Though it is still practiced in the court room, court reporters are aided by recording software that they can view or listen to after. Pure stenography might be a thing of the past but it comes in handy during power interruptions.