Gregg shorthand

[Irena]

I am currently teaching myself shorthand from a 1916 Gregg Shorthand textbook. I'm really enjoying it, and I was wondering if anyone here knows shorthand or is learning. I'd also appreciate any tips.

 

[jdjs]

Believe it or not . . .

We actually only stopped teaching shorthand (and yep, the Gregg style) in the last few years at our high school! Even in this day and age, it comes in handy in all sorts of places.

One really effective method is to record a series of passages (I would offer the tapes that we used, but they have been scrapped), digitize them and vary the speed. This allows you to use actual simulations as opposed to the book style (it is seldom that one would take shorthand from a book). I strongly suggest avoiding using television shows or movies as a source - students couldn't figure out why they were getting increasingly frustrated until they realized that both clarity and sequence were out of touch; that being said, if you need to use a source, televised news and radio news aren't too bad (with the televised news, record it and then compare your readback to the close captioning).

Another trick is (of course) to use it as often as possible - grocery lists, phone notes, etc. It also helps if you can find a friend or someone else who is learning it as well; support is really useful (and proofreading your own stuff is painful - you don't notice your own mistakes).

Finally, stick with it. It's worth it.

 

[Irena]

Thank you for the encouragement. I plan to use shorthand for notes in college - I hate typing while trying to listen to someone. My mom learned shorthand in high school (through American school), and she wants to brush up on her skills. We can study together. She still has all of her old study materials, including dictation tapes.

 

[magneto]

Likewise...

I started teaching myself Gregg (simplified) after buying a 1949 Manual and Dictionary set (the dictionary is very handy when you're not sure how a word should look). Agreed, keep practicing! I've gotten to the point where my lecture notes are half shorthand and half longhand, I can *write* most anything when concentrating, but sometimes *reading* what I wrote is a challenge, I'm sure you know what I mean if you have been a rank beginner...

Plus you get people looking over your shoulder and saying, "Oh, is that Arabic?" lol

 

[Irena]

I scared several of my friends when I worked on a shorthand lesson during class. lol I've looked at the newer materials, comparing them to my book from 1916, and I think I like the older style better. Easier to read, even though it's a little more complicated to write. It helps that I'm a pretty fair hand at cursive.

Hmmm...you'd think there would be more people who know shorthand around here, since this is a golden-era forum.

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

Now this thread has me interested in shorthand. I've never seen it, never seen a book about it and have barely heard of it. I think my mom mentioned having taken classes in high school, and thats about it. I have to do a lot of note taking during meetings for my job, and I think it might help. Well, i'm off to Google!

 

[John in Covina]

Esterbrook Pens

Esterbrook the Fountain Pen and Nib company made nibs specifically for Gregg Shorthand.

Nib Numbers: 1555 and 2555 both were Firm Fine for Gregg Shorthand

They can be found at vintage pen shops and on Ebay.