We communicate in so many different ways these days and most of it is through electronic means. We send emails, text messages, and post messages on social media, and sometimes, we may even call someone on their mobile phone.
It wasn’t all that long ago, however, that the technology we use today didn’t exist. We still communicated, but many people consider it slow and cumbersome compared to the type of communication we do today. Then again, they may not know about this type of writing that really made short order of it.
The writing, known as shorthand, was helpful for taking notes, writing down your thoughts or even writing down thoughts of someone else. It was developed many years ago by the Greek historian Xenophon but it was popular in the Roman Empire as well.
During the Middle Ages, the art of shorthand almost disappeared entirely but it saw a resurgence in the Victorian era. Many people were using it in order to write down Bible translations quickly and conveniently, and there are some who continue to do so today.
Although the ancient form of shorthand has some significant differences from the shorthand we use today, it is still a convenient thing to know. The problem is, very few people know it and there are even fewer that are learning it.
In 1837, the modern version of shorthand was developed by Sir Isaac Pitman. In 1852, it was brought to the United States and was so popular that it even replaced the style of shorthand that was in use at the time.
Regular writing, which is sometimes referred to as longhand, was replaced by some using shorthand that would reduce the writing down to the minimal amount needed. It was much easier to write things down and document everything that was said to you.
When you first look at it, you might feel as if it is some type of ancient text that is from a civilization that disappeared thousands of years ago. You might even think that you are looking at Arabic, but it is actually a shortened form of English in a short form.
Although it is disappearing, it is still used in many cases for medical and legal notes. There are also some who just appreciate knowing how to do it so that they can take notes for their own use.
