Machine Theories - Cinto Rosaly
Machine Theories - Cinto Rosaly
Machine Theories - Cinto Rosaly
BSOA701
Machine Shorthand 2
Below are the various stenograph machine theories I have found. I organized them in
chronological order. I cannot understate that many basic concepts (e.g., alphabet, prefixes,
suffixes, etc.) in the various stenograph machine theories can be traced back to Ward Stone
Ireland's theory. It seems that the biggest changes in stenograph machine theory occurred with
the advent of CAT in the mid 1970's which introduced the necessity to eliminate homonym and
word boundary conflicts.
Stenotypy (1914):
Ward Stone Ireland first produced the modern stenograph machine in 1911. Along with the
machine, he also invented the first stenograph machine theory. The third edition was published
in 1914.
Sten Ed (1979):
Beverly Ritter founded Stenotype Educational Products, Inc. (Sten Ed) in 1979. The theory,
however, was developed by Albert Gasdor, a court reporter, in 1973 (published by Stentran
Systems, Inc). The latest revision to the theory was published in 1996.
Digitext (1985):
Jerry Lefler created a theory and a one-piece translation system in 1985. The company (Digitext)
did not survive and he found Realtime Captioning in 1989. Carol Jochim, who created the
Phoenix Theory, once worked for Digitext as a consultant for their training program.
Computer Compatible Stenograph Theory [CCST] (1986):
Developed by Mae Glassbrenner and G. Allen Sonntag of Illinois in 1986. Glassbrenner was a
court reporting educator and Sonntag was a court reporter. The second edition was published in
1992, and the third edition was published in 1996.
StarTran (1995):
Developed by Marlene L. Struss, a court reporter, in 1995.
Phoenix (1997):
Developed in 1997 by Carol Webster Jochim, a court reporter and owner of a court reporting
business in Arizona. It was updated in 2005 (Version 1.5? There are also dictionary version 1.6
and 1.7). Version 2.0 was released in 2011. This Theory is published and recommended by
Stenograph, LLC.
Stenotypy (1914):
In 1911, when Ward Stone Ireland first produced the modern stenograph machine, he also
developed a "theory" though he received input from stenography teachers and others. His 1914
theory (Book: Stenotypy) can be summarized by the following:
1. Omit Silent Letters. Except:
a. Write W when it proceeds “r” (wretch = WREFP)
2. Write consonants according to sound
3. Write Vowels:
a. One vowel in syllable: Write vowel (off = OF)
b. Two vowels in syllable and only one is sounded: write the sounded vowel (leaf =
HREF)
c. Two vowels in syllable and both are sounded: write both vowels (our = OUR)
d. Unimportant or unaccented vowels occurring in the middle or last syllable may be
omitted to save a stroke (benefit = PWEPB/TPEUT, revel = REFL). However,
when a word ends in a s or z sound and proceeded by any vowel except e, the
vowel must be written out (furnace = TPUR/TPHAS).
e. When an initial consonant appears in the same stroke with a suffix, the vowel
must be written (even though it is included in the suffix). Example: designate =
TKES/EUG/TPHAT. Except omit the vowel before the suffix -BG for -ical, -icle,
-acle.
4. If a word cannot be written in one stroke, write the word syllabically. Write as much of
the word as possible in the first stroke.
5. If a word contains two consonants that are not in sequence on the keyboard, write the first
consonant in the first stroke and the second in the next stroke (Pelf = PEL/F).
6. When the sounds s, k, or x occur medially in a word and are followed by a syllable that
begins with t, write t (picture = PEUBG/TUR, pasty = PAS/TEU)
7. When possible write the prefix of suffix in the same stroke. (The outline noted that
compact, comport, and compile must be written in 2 strokes to distinguish them from
exact, exhort, and exile).
8. Omit T in words ending in the sound of st, kt, and xt (past = PAS)
9. For “ex-”:
a. Before a vowel sound or the sound h, write KP (exhale = KPHAL)
b. Before all consonants except h, write S.
10. In words with 3 or more syllables, omit the “y” in the suffixes -ary, -ery, -ory, and -ury
(histories = HEUS/TORS)
11. The -S (under -D) is used only when an -S follows -D.
12. Standard abbreviations should be used without any punctuation (Mr. = PHR)
13. If abbreviation forms part of compound word or derivative, the abbreviation should be
used for the part of the word it represents.
14. Writing Numbers (note: if 1914 the number bar was the “*” bar):
a. Figures are represented by a combination of the * key and certain letters: 1= S*,
2= T*, 3= P*, 4= H*, 5= A*, 6= *F, 7= *P, 8= *L, 9= *T, 0= O*.
b. Fractions are written in words, omitting the word “and” between whole numbers
and fractions.
c. For Dates, place a comma day, month, and year.
d. For Time, write a colon between the hour and minute. (Note the abbreviation for
a.m. is APL and p.m. is P-PL)
Notes:
1. The alphabet was the same except:
A. Initial Z = S
B. Final V = F
C. Final Z = S. Note that the 1914 keyboard had no Final Z.
2. There was no * key in between the initial side and final side; this key in 1914 was a space
key.
3. The modern number bar was the * key
Reference:
http://kensoffice.blogspot.com/p/stenograph-theories.html