One Slope I

One Position II
One Thickness II!

. .· onsonanfs.-
€urbe ltotiott.
i
THE PHONETtC HANDWRITING.
. \
T HIS is a reproduction of the First
Edition of 11 Light-Line Phonography 11
made from photo-etchings of the original
book, reprinted and autographed by the author
for presentation to his friends as a souvenir of
the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of Gregg
Shorthand, at Chicago, August eleventh to
fifteenth, nineteen hundred thirteen.

Of the original book only seven copies are

known to be extant, of which number one_
is in the British Museum, another in the
Bodleian Library, Oxford, and a third in the
to
possession of the author.

Five hundred copies were printed

of which this is No. 24 8
 LIGHT-LINE PHONOGRAPHY.

THE

PHONETIC HAN DWR·ITI NG,

BY

JOHN ROBERT GREGG, F.S.S.S.

I
Member of the Institut Stenographi'quf des Deux
of Paris.

LIVERPOOL:
LIGHT-LINE J:>HONOGRAPHY INSTITUTE,
62, DAI.E STREET.

1888.
cV\\'3:J
-------
ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.
 PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.

A great and increasmg demand for a simple, rapid

and perfectly legible phonetic hand-writing for general
use has led to the invention of Ltght-Line Phono-
, graphy, which is the outcome of years devoted to
stenographic study and research. The system is based
1 on natural physiological laws, and the characters have
r been assigned to .the various sounds after long and
careful experiment Its main features may be briefly
summarized as - ·

(1) The total absence of shading or thick

ening. By this is meant coMPULSORY shading,
for the student may write either light or heavy.

I
according to the natural character of his band-
writing.
In · the old methods cognate sounds being
distmguished by shading it was necessary to
represent the most frequently recurnng sounds
by DOWNWARD signs-as in rapid writing only
I
downward lines could be shaded with any
degree of certainty-hence the constant ten-

I
,.
·dency of the writing m these systems is down-
wards. The result Is obvious-lineahty, and
consequently phrasecgraphy, ts destroyed and
the writer is greatly harassed by the straggling
and uncertain character of the wntmg We
confidently challenge comparison m this respect.
In lineality and continuity of execuuon, the
system is quite unapproached.
 4
,----·-·-·----- -----·----·

( 2) The characters being based on the

elements of the ordinary longhand, the
strokes are familiar and the mot10n uniform.
Briefly expressed, Light- Line Phonography is
WRITING, .nOt DRAWING.

(J) The insertion of the vowels in their

natural order without lifting the pen, ·
anrlin such a manner tlut they usuallv INCRFt.:AsE
the speed ofexecution, whilst their insertion not
only imparts to the writing the legibility ot
print, but is ·the source ot a most powerful, yet
extremely simple and legible mode of abbrevia-
...tion.

( 4) The absence of positions or the placing of

words on, above or through the line of writing
to imply the omission of certain vowels or ill
consonants.
This, ·one of the chief stumbling l-locks to the
shorthand student, is nowhere to be {ound in
Light-Line Phonography. Like shading, this
principle is destructive to lineality and phrase<,_
graphy, and is a constant of embarass-
ment if applied, and illegibility if ne,gletted.
Line Phonography, like the ordinary long
hand, may be written on unruled paper, and in
one line.

(s) The predominance of curve motion.

"'
Curves, the prevailing element of the ordinary
I penmanship, being much more facile than
I lines, the author has, so far as is compati-
I ble with a alphabet, assigned to
I
them the of the most frequently
 5
..... --------

recurring In addition to this the

I straight characters-have been so arranged thatthe
most frequently recurring- combinations of letters
I form an obtuse angle at their point of junction, and

l such angle not being observed the letters are

allowed to coalesce naturally in the form of a
large quadrant, thus curve motion has its right-
ful preponderance. the maximum ot facility
\ obtainable from this source is seemed, and the
I system is freed from the unnatural zig-zag motion
I of the ordinary shorthand.

(6) Consonantal blendings, systematically ap-

plied, based on physiological laws, and
relieving the system of the objectionable obtuse
angle.

(7} Individuality of form. Having few alter-

native signs, and these regulated by rule, Light-
Line Phonography has a distinctiveness of form
greater than that of any system hitherto pub-
lished.

In conclusion, the endeavonr of the author has been

1
to compile a system so simple as to be readily ac-
' quired by the humblest capacity, and those possessed
of liqle leisure, and yet rapid enough to reproduce
verbatim the fastest oratory. In presentiryg his work
to tKe public he asks for nothing beyond an impartial
investigation, a.nd with perfect confidence awaits the
,, result.
1

·I
l\
d
f LIVERPOOL, JJfay, I888.
--· --------------------'
 6
i
·•I

A FEW WORDS TO THE STUDENT.

At tne outset we would earnestly request the stu-

dent to take a note of every hour he devotes to the
By so doing he be enabled to com pate
his progress with that of students of the old ·methods,-
and will also be in a position to confirm our state-
ments as to the time outlay required to obtain a
practical knowledge of the system. Results, of
course vary according to the ability and aptitude of
the student, and the best results are attained under
instruction, where the attention is regular.

When the student has mastered the principles of

the " Phonetic Handwriting'' he. is in possession of a"
practical system of shorthand by which speed of
from 90 to 1 2o words per mi:nute can be attained.
Should he, however, desire greater he is
recommended to obtain the "Light-[ ;ine Reporter's
Handbook" which contains an adaptation of the
system to z·erbattm uporting, and also a more exten-
ded expositton of the two rules of abbre··iation given
in this hook.

The student would do well to forward to the head-

quarters of the movement a postcard giving his name
and address. This will ensure his receiving intima-
tion .of the of local associations and other
matters of interest.

--·--· --- -----·--·

 7
----------------...--

LIGHT -LINE PHONOGRAPHIC ALPHABET

CONSONANTS.

P.' B. F. V. K. G. R. L. CH. J. T. D. N. M.
( (
r
.) } ......... ,........ -
_, / / ,-/"'" --
S. Z. SH. ZH. TH. 'I-H. H. NG. W. Y.

I down
o
I VowELS.
I Short
I
I
... [1 o as in lit
'
!a (ah) o as tn lad.
Medium I. eo
P. , let II. a (ah) o , lard
\
Long e ,o , lead. a (Eh) o ,, late,

lu ,
j /
I
I
Short o(aw) v as in lot' as in lull.
i
Medium III. 6 (aw) IV. 66.· _, , look.

Il Long ... o (oh) v,

Y /
ioad. 66 ,"' , loom.
I
-DIPHTHONGS.
I
(
as t'n ue
o
I
i t!>

oi t/' , oil
u tJI use
"
or ow d'
, owl
The distinguishing marks are omitted in practice.
i
i
I
_ _ _ _ _ _ !I
 8
--------

NOTES ON THE ALPHABET.

Consonants.-S is represented by a small quadrant

traced in any direction downwards as d - same

/

sap TH is a small quadrapt

traced in either direction upwards as __.,._r month,

I
I Csv breath, !hall. H is always followed by
I
j a vowel, and may generally be denoted by the elonga-
i· tion of the vowel
I
sign as c;:::r lzat. him,
I ,,
hood.
I Vowels.-The circle may assume ·-the form of a
II loop where more convenient, a$ /f teaclz, J chat,

1 y lip. The upward hook may be traced "

and the downward hook where these forms are

more facile, as, .:::....- on, c:-- or, ---;=--- more/

moon, --'/.., mood, --; much. diphthong

I may be traced in any direction as ---r:!:J mi'ght.

'fl-.. tire, -!.o b)•. Its distinguishing curl may
I
 9
-- ·-------------··--··---

\ LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.

·----- - - - - - - - - - . -·-- ----------- ------

FIRST· LESSON.

CONSONANTS.

R.L. ...., '----' T.D . .--/.

VowELS.

1, e, e 0 ah, eh o aw, oh v

--vll'RITIWG EXERCISE.

Cake, kak .,.--0"> Got, g aw t

.. .,.-- ____
I Call, k aw 1 Get,

Gate,
get

gat
I
Clay, kla --J! -([
I

Creed,, k r ed Gale, gal

I

Clear, kler I
Grade, grad

Care, kar ....-.Q,

I
JV.._y

r ·-· ------------
'1--·-·· - ··- ·---·
- --------. _______
J·Q
_.... _______ ------. ''
I

LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING. I

I
------------·---- ---------

Read, red Dear, der _/,---

Rate, rat ..Jf" Dot, daw t /'

Rail 1 r a1 I
DOCK; daw k ;
i
I
I
j.
Road, rod , Date, dat .-A(

Rogue, rog ....._--,

, Daily, d a 11 j

Laid, 1 ad -£,V' Allot, ah i aw 't Q._.v

I
Lark, 1 ah r k All, aw 1 <:...._.....-

' Lake, 1a k '--"C1l

, Agree, ah g r e .I

Lock, law k Early, er 1I f--P'

Tale, ta1 Ee-g eg

v ,--..
.
Take, t ak A:)\
I
Eke, ek -n
I

Taught, t aw t .A/ Era, e r ah ,q_J)

Dig, dig ,A" Idiot,

1
1 d law t

Day, da /1 It, t I r
- - ------ ·-
 II
.. - - -·
·--,
- - - · lo4-;-

LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING. I

----------·-------------·--· ·- - ----- -l
1
1
SECOND LESSON. I

GoNSON ANTS.•
I
I

P.B. 1 ( F.V., ..J) N.M. - - S.Z. I!

VowELS.
\
uh, oo

"'1MRITING EXERCISE.

i
Pair, par Beef, be f
;-I
pas Bevy, be vi
J
·Post, p0st Body, bawd 'i v
Po1,1r, p or , Boom, boom

Pure, piir Famous, f a m u s o4

,.

r
,1
I
1 Bail. bal Feeds, fed s
! I
I
i

6r
I

·[ Balance, b ah 1 ah n,s Few, fii

---- ---------·--- ---·---- --·--- -- -.--·
 J3
------ ··----------- ··-·--- ------- ---------------
LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING. I
-------

Map, m ahp .- . .r>

c Room, room
I
!

Above, ah b u VI Look I oo k
I

Renew, r en u 1 ' •
Appeal, ah p e..i
, i
I
Appear,1 ah per Impose, 1m p 6 z
:rl
Else, e1s Appal, ah p aw I
'
c::._,
Lazy, Hi z 1 '-,IZ Notice, not1s ...,(

Quick, k 001 k I

Papa, pah p ah Duly, dull

II
Lip, . 11 p Unity, iin1ti

Quit; k 00 1t --y Roof, roof

, Took, t 00 k Done, dun

I
I
Cas{, k as -'9· Use, uz dl.

Cup, k il p ( Due, d u /'

Days, d as / 1
Troop, troop ""f
-------------
 14

LIGHT -LINE PHON.ETIC HANDWRITING.

------L- ------------------

THIRD LESSON.

CONSONANTS.

Sh. Zh / Ch. J. / /Th. ,._, H . .., Ng.- w. n Y. "

VIPH'fHONGS.

i <Q_ 01
" ow tJ»
NOTE.-The combination "NK '' tnay be denote£l by
the "N" sign tlw.'l ._j.2. RANK. After a ,littlt
pra.clir.t it tr'lf
__lit' .found___
..___ _
unnPre•sary to deprr11s the 8ign.

"'JJl"RITING E:XERCIIJE.

Shot, shaw t Shoot, sh oo t

Shout, sh ow t Chatter, ch ah t er

Shame, .sh am Chain chan

S_bine, sh i n Church, ch ·tl r ch

 15

LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING .

.... ·-------
Chief, cb ef Yawn, eawn .e.
'
!f
Joke, j 0k ?. Yacht, .:: aw t
,

Jar, ' j ah r £ Year, eer

Yoke, eok
1
I
Judge,
•
j uj
I Vl

1 This, th 1 s ..A. Yore, eor e._

Throw, th r o Twig, t 00 1g

. th aw t Out, ow t d"

Hear, her Vow, vow ol

Him, him ,...- Oil, oil

Hum, hum Boil, bail· ,L

Hope, h6 p ,r Thank, th -ab n (g) ko

Hoot, boot Search, s er ch

Walk, oo aw k Knowledge, n awl ej --/-

W1it. oo a. t Both, b 0 th· ?

;;; "
---·--------
 J6
--·- -- ... -- --- -· .. -----
LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITIN(t
I·-· ··- ···-- --

Bath, bah th {"

Il South, s 01\' th

Dine din T Vv'bat, boo aw t -'2/

Touch, t li ch When, boo en 17-

College1 kaw l ej /
Month, rn u nth
i;
I
Much, m l'1 ch Reach, r e ch
I

Line, l i n Crush, k r ---1 l

/I
I
Fight, fi t Death, de th
I
Died did Arrange, ah ra n j
I
I
Might, nii t Large, l'ah r j

Method, methawd Latch, I ah ch

I

Voict, VOlS Dodge, daw-j

!
I
Astonish, ah st awn 1sh Purchase, p ur <;:h as f I
Fascinate, f ahs 1 nat Wink win (g) k j

Such, such Torch, taw r ch

 17
-- ···- -·- - .

LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.

---·- - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - ------- . -

FOURTH LESSON.
BLENDED CONSONANTS.

I.-The student should practice the following· com.

binations until he can execute them freely and
neatly :

Pr c Pl C.. Br C Bl L
Kl .-..__../ Gr· ; Cl
/

Td Dt ud / , Ss r 1

II.-Evtiry practical Shorthand writer has experienced

the great difficulty of joining rapidly and legibly
two straight lines forming an obtuse angle. The
natural tendency of the han9 is to a:llow such
lines to form a curve thus,..,-:,......-, .J,. .../ and
to prevent thi_s an unnatural restraint is exercised
on the hand, causing a very pause and
consequently a decrease in speed of execution·
As our method is based on nature obtuse angles
are dispensed wi:.h, and the hnes are allowed to
coalesce thus ;

Tn On ,;-:: ; Tm Om ,-r; . .r-. ; Nt nd

Md _/;» _ / ; .Df Uv /'}:: /} ; Jnt £/.. U
 18
.
I
LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRiTING.
-----------
,.,-BITING EXERCISE.

Pray, CJ; Breach,

Process, Bring,

Produce, G.A Broad

Promote, . Rrush

Progress, ,
'
I

Play, 0 BlaJTie,

VI
I

Place, (_,e• Bleed,

Plain, Bless, G.! I

Played, Blank, Gl
v-:
I
Plot, Blood,
I

Plated Bloom, 0.-- ii

Branch Blush,
I

___ -'
#JI
Brand Crash
- ··- -· ------
.. _:•_.._.
 --·-- --- . -·-· ·-- .1..9__ ________ --· - - - - - - - - - - ·

LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANOWRITING

-···------·[
I

------·----·-------------- ------ - - -·

Crayon, ,.-.._f- . Temper, /0 !

II

__,...- I'
I
I
Cream, Wisdom, I
'
'I '
I
I
1 Crisp, Demure,
I l

II Crushed, Victim, I
I
l'

I Claim, Denominate.
I
·I Clash, -----./' Denounce,
I

I Grand, Attained, jV
I
I
I

I'
• II
I
'I Grade, , · Sudden,

Glad, .-..__p/ Land, .JV

Tenure, Respond, '--V
Deny, Talent, .)Z...9!

Denote, Intend,
l
I
'• (ja/
Demolish. Potent,
"'
System .y--
__ _ . ___ -·· ,_;
Depend
... ·.. ______ .,..,... ...... I
 20

LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.

- - - - - - , ; - - - - - -- - -· - - -- ---- - -
Beyond, Intelligent,

Dawned, Agent,

Owned, ,J
J
Regent,

Deemed, Urgent,

Dreamed; Diligent,

Blamed, Allotted,

Doomed, \Vaited,
•
Tamed, Rated,

Lamed, Coated,
I

Aimed, a.-/ Loaded,

I

Devote, Shaded,

Dividend, Possess,

Defeat, /(- Causes,

Gentle,
__ J.
r---- -- ·---------- -----------
21
....... ____ -------.

LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.

------------
FIF'I'H LESSC}N.
ABBREVIATED \VoRPS.
of the following u·ords .tJte co-ntracted tmder
;;ubsequent princ1ples of abbreviation.

A, an Glad I Shall I dow11

II

After a/ Good .-----..... Should r-./

Always <:_-( Great Some ).._-

And _./
Have ) The r up
Any -.. In not That ,0 up
Are, our '--"' Is j down Them r-

Be, but / It / up Thing ,--

Been C Little Time

__
/ ,....
Because t-; Lord '--/ Upon G:-
,
Before J Many Very J
Between ?- More \Vas '(

Can ...--, Most --r Well, will

Could ,--,/

..
·-- What <./

Ever-y _) Never ;; Which - / dow11

Fo.r ) down Of (./
\Vish 1
Form 1- One ..,_ '\Vould / up•
_.,.._
From 2- Other rr ·Wonder
Give Put ( do.ZNl \Vord, work ..-n
----------------------
 22
---
I
LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.
------

PHR.ASEOGR.APHY.

II THE student should assiduously cultivate the prac-

I
I
tice ··of Phraseography, or the joining of 5mall words
together, for without this practice great proficiency can
I1- never be attained. Light-Line Phonography on I

i
I account of the continuity of the writing adapts its"elf to
"i
l
I

I phrase writing in a remarkable maimer!..

EXAMPLES.
I
It is ..A- Mav be -(
I y
To be
r I have
(L../
To the /""'" I will

Of the v I shall 9

).
In the _/"
For the
.......,
On the c....r What is

Is the
y /
And the
't_-
Of all And have -1
In our ----- On which 7
Of our --- Of which y

And our ....-"""-"

Of other
 23
-- -- --- - - - - - . 1
-----------------
LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING. '
--------·-- ---

I do not There is not

I can not For the time

I did not
("- I should not

It is not There will be .

Of its o1vn For some time u-j

It shall be Some time ago

We·have not I shall not be T

I can not be And which have -j

Is the most There should be 4

It will not Which would. be ./(

Will now be There will not be --'--'--fl

That is the For it will not be J-r
Which rnay be L-( That it will not be ·,.r( I

not be -6( For some time in theif

I will not be
 12+
l --
--------
i
II
I
RULES OF .A.BBREV"I.ATION.

I.-Drop the terminations of words, i.e·., write so much

of the outline as will, with the aid of the subject

matter and vocalized context, suggest the whole

word, as "unan'' for ·•unanimously," for

" diplomacy." This simple rule, a result of

the insertion of the vowels, enables us to obtain

great brevity without resorting to arbitrary and

ambiguous devices.

II.- ·where two vowels-not forming a diphthong-come

together omit the minor as, reat,

_buoyant theory.

ll?UMCTU.ATION.

The period is indicated by , , the end of a para·

graph by > , and the dash by .... . All other
punctuation marks are written in the usual way.
1_.__ ------·----- ·····-
 25
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ------
LIGHT -LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.
- - - --- ---·--- . -- . -- ...

REA.DXNG .AND "\IV'BITING

EXERCISES.

T1·y to be something in the world and you will be something.

Aim at excellence and excellence will be attained.

r::r- 6 ..,/
-c r,
This is the great secret of success and ernmence.

--
"1 can't do it"
;--._Y v

never accomplished anything.

.-/ ...

crv / /
__,---'
"I will try" has wrought wonders.-H !lwes.

--n,. ' .10-

L---- ,._p ..P I

........c./ 41

Good temper 15 the essence of good manners.

--....
,., __.....,
-----·--···----
 26
-------------- ·----
LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING. II

READING EXERCISE. WRITING EXERCISE. I

SELF-RELIANCE.
I·
Don't rely on your I
____.J ---..sr_P ---r--- •j__,./- I
friends. Don't rely upon I
i
I - your ancestors. Thou-
J'--CY ·' r9 ) ,...
sands have spent the
l prime of life in tl1e vain
J C9--- "--7 - _n . '-( l-, hope of help from those
whom they call friends,
i.. ___ --rr--- ;.-o; ) ry/ and thousands have
I
;
i/ / sta1 ved because they
! <----. ,.,.0
j
I
had a rich Rely
, _____ -a-
upon the good name
f/ 6
: I
! 'which is made by your
I own exertions, and know
j,a
I
&/"? -'
I
I.
that better than the best
I ...- ro.--6/
I friend you can have is
I unquestionable deter-
mination united with
I decision of character.
)
It is a fine thing in
friendship to know when
.-. . :_ bf ,...-... "'1 to be silent.

---------------- ·-·-- ····-·------·-------·

 27
---------
LtGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.

_, __
--r _,.-r & ! __./""
/ 4 v- . - - -

I
: ../ ../-; -" f "..). e'2___... _..R-1 -..------- l
i c._,.
i
,.._.. / __,
o;:_
J-/" ;!/' , , -'"'/' --- I
I

f / -fi . , - - -<--'

I J
I ../ 0 ,. . .-{ · "' . --2--.-
i
I
i
l .( r .--- _ _ , ./"' "- J "' c ....__.., ,--- I"1T ___.. C ______....
«=- ? "' .:r

---------
,----- ··-- · · - - · · ·--·-----------------
28

1 LIGHT-LINE PHONETIC HANDWRITING.

"'VIl"RITING EXERCISE.

ENGLISH

IT cannot be doubted that English literature -is

beyond all comparison the amplest, most various, and
most splendid literature which the world. has ever
seen ; and it is enough to say of the English language
that it is the language of that literature. Greek litera-
ture compares with Enghsh as Homer compares with
Shakespere-that is as infantile with adult civilization.
It may further be said of the English language that it
is a native tongue of nations which are pre-eminent in
the world by iorce of character, enterprise, and
wealth, and whose political and social institutions have
a ·higher moral interest and greater promise than
any which mankind has hitherto invented. To the
original creations of English genius are to be added
translations into English of all the masterpieces of
other literatures, sacred and profane. It is a very rare
scholar who has not learned much more about the
Jews, the Greek!::! and the Romans through English
than through Hebrew, Greek or Latin.-Pro(essor
Elltot.
_______ _____. ____ - -------------------