Shorthand is a system that allows speech to be transcribed in real time.
Shorthand is the discipline that, by using abbreviations, characters and signs, seeks to ensure that writing can be as fast as speaking . Shorthand systems are used for real-time transcription of speeches .
Typically, shorthand does not transcribe the entire speech , but rather it can be reconstructed later by the stenographer. Anyone who does not know the system used or has not heard the original speech will not be able to understand the text created using shorthand.
The task of the stenographer , therefore, is to transcribe the speech using a shorthand system and then convert said text into conventional writing. This second step allows the material to be accessible to anyone.
Uses of shorthand
It is possible to find uses of shorthand in various areas. When a trial takes place, a stenographer is in charge of transcribing the different testimonies that are part of the judicial process. Stenographers also act to record the debates that take place in Congress or in a Legislature .
Another use of shorthand is found in the subtitling of live broadcasts carried out on television. The system , in this case, helps to transcribe the sayings as they are expressed. In these cases, the complementary use of a computer program capable of translating the notes into the language in which the subtitles are intended to be broadcast is always necessary. In some countries, such as England and the United States, it is very common to include subtitles in much of their television programming, something essential so that the portion of the public who suffers from hearing disorders can also enjoy it.
It is important to note that, although shorthand systems can be learned quite quickly, it is not easy to put them into practice and acquire the speed necessary to transcribe speech. That is why the use of shorthand is not widespread in everyday life, for example in the academic field or in most jobs .
What is written in shorthand can usually only be understood by the stenographer.
Historical tour
The history of shorthand takes us to the 4th century BC. C., when the Greek philosopher and historian named Xenophon took advantage of it to make biographical transcriptions of Socrates. In its etymology we find the Greek terms corresponding to the concepts of "speed" and "writing." Outside of Greece, the Phoenicians and Romans also used this speed writing technique ; In the Roman Empire there are records of its use since the time of Cicero, throughout the 1st century BC. C., according to the findings of the Greek historian Plutarch.
This system evolved and was published for later study, although it remained in darkness for several centuries , until the Modern Age. Only in 1588, the English doctor Timothy Bright rescued it from oblivion and thus it passed through other countries on the European continent, such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain, a process that took more than two hundred years. The invention of the Spanish version of shorthand is attributed to Francisco de Paula Martí , a cryptographer and playwright from Valencia, in 1802, and his system is considered by many to be the most efficient of those discovered up to his time.
Shorthand, today
Currently, several shorthand systems coexist, so the first step in learning consists of choosing the one that best suits the time we have to study and the speed we intend to achieve when writing, in addition to taking into account the preferred system in each case. our profession.
The three best known, which have been adapted from English into several languages, are the Gregg Pre-Anniversary , the Gregg Anniversary and the New Era Pitman , favorites since the 19th century for providing the greatest speed .