shorthand

[outofpractice]

Does anyone know anything about shorthand? What is the best type to learn? I want to learn it for my own professional use, so I can take a word for word note of what is said. I will not need to show my shorthand to anyone else and I will not need any shorthand qualifications, although I am going to do a proper course.

I did Teeline shorthand at college - there is also Pitman (which has a few variations - New Era, 2000). Pitman is more complicated to learn, but will let you get to higher speeds - ideal if you want to do Parliamentary Reporting (!) - but Teeline is relatively quick to learn.

Teeline has an outline for each letter, which is made from part of the letter (hard to explain when you can't draw! For example t is -). You just join the shapes together and learn a few special outlines. You'd be able to find a book easily, the tricky bit is sticking with it and building your speed up!

Outofpractice - I did Teeline too, and agree with CraftyCat in its ease to learn. A new job demanded it, I did a college course - one evening a week, and loads of practice, and got up to 100 wpm within 2 months ... company then went bust and I haven't needed it since, so it's very rusty.

Don't know what your profession is, but you do have to use shorthand a LOT to keep it up, otherwise it is a struggle to do (and think at the same time), and difficult to read back!

HTH

I did Teeline as well, although I doubt if I could do it anymore.

When I used to work, in the end I gave up doing shorthand and my boss would dictate letters etc and I would type them straight onto the computer. It was just as quick.

I do Teeline. It is certainly easy to learn but, as CraftyCat says, slower than Pitman. If you want to get stuff down verbatim then Pitman might be better. You'll need to do a proper course so that somebody with a stopwatch can dictate to you in order to build up your speed. One of the great things about shorthand is that it's very hard to read somebody elses,even if they use the same system, so it's good for confidential info.

I did pitman but that was a hundred yrs ago and you have to keep doing it to get speed etc and be able to read it back !!
Teeline a bit easier to learn but again need to use it to keep up speed!
Good luck with it

I did Pitman 2000 and it is one of the best things I've ever learned. Despite what employers say, I have found shorthand useful in ALL of my jobs (mind you, I was a PA) and in my personal life too. I go to many meetings with local council people etc and often write down verbatim what they are saying - it freaks them out! Mine is not completely technically correct but is good enough to write fast and accurately. It isn't as fast as it used to be but that has never seemed to be a problem. Writing summarised notes in shortened longhand just isn't the same or as fast.

I did teeline many moons ago at college - 1987!!!!!!!!!! arrrghhh. Can't remember any of it now. Remember doing my shopping lists in it. Sad sad sad. But not as sad as realises that in 1987 I was 17, oh where have the years gone....sniff.

Thanks, everyone, it is very useful. I am getting the impression that I had better learn Pitman, because I do need an account that is absolutely accurate for key phrases. The problem is that I need to keep a highly accurate note whilst I am talking and participating myself. Once I learnt, I would probably use it at least 10-20 hours / week, so I am going to do a very formal course over the next 6-12 months. Should I just ask to learn the latest version of Pitman?

I would check out what Pitmans there are and how they compare. In my day Pitman 2000 was the latest but there were other Pitmans that were not considered as fast or clear but easier to learn (can't remember the names). Oliveoil, I did mine in 1976! Punk then got in the way and I didn't take ANY exams but can use my shorthand well.

Now I am confused again because the trainer says she definitely recommends the newest version of teeline which gets up to 120wpm and they only run pitman to cater for people who had trained in it previously. The cost is the same for both types.

Maybe teeline has taken over then, I would go by what she says. Can you touch type? If not, I strongly recommend you learn as transcribing from your shorthand notes effectively needs you to be able to touch type. With computerisation these days I know lots of people can type fast without touch typing but that's usually typing what they are thinking rather than from written notes of whatever form. There are computer programs that teach touch typing but don't know if they're any good.