Shorthand
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Shorthand. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
an art by which writing is abbreviated, so as to keep pace with speaking. Its great and general utility has been recognized in every age, and numberless systems have been devised to facilitate its acquirement. It was practiced by the ancients for its secrecy as well as for its brevity, and a work is extant on the art, which is ascribed to Tiro, the freedman of Cicero. The first English treatise on stenography, in which marks represent words, was published in 1588 by Timothy Bright, M. D., under the title, "Characterie; an Art of Short, Swift, and Secret Writing by Character." In 1602 appeared "The Art of Stenography, or Short Writing by Spelling raphy, Characterie," by John Willis. Notwithstanding the intricacy of this system, in which "arbitraries" are extensively used, it became popular and found many imitators. It was succeeded by the systems of Edmond Willis (1618), Henry Dix ). In (1641), and Jeremiah Rich (1659 1672 appeared "A Pen Plucked from an Eagle's Wing: or, The Most Swift, Compendious, and Speedy Method of Short Writing." The author was William Mason, the most famous shorthand writer of the 17th century. His alphabet was formed from Rich's by altering the signs of six letters, viz., g, h, j, o, r, w. In 1767 was published the system of Dr. Byrom, four years after his death, which, however, had been completed as early as 1720. This was in many respects an admirable system-characterized by "simple strokes and no arbitrary characters." In 1785 Dr. Mavor published his "Universal Stenography," an ambitious improvement on Byrom. His alphabet consists of 18 letters, two of which are for vowels. The characters for the vowels are a dot (.) and a comma (,). The comma in different positions indicates a, e, i; the dot, o, u, y. In 1786 appeared the famous system of Taylor, which was almost universally used previous to the publication of "Phonography" by Mr. Pitman in 1837. Taylor has 22 marks or characters: of these, 16 represent the alphabet; the remaining 6 standing for chh837 appeared Pitm In 1837 appeared Pitman's "Phonography" the first really popular system. Bell, following in the path Melville marked out by Pitman, founded his system on the sounds of the language. The first sketch appeared in 1849; in 1852 the first complete edition, under the title "Steno-Phonography." An improved edias "The Reporter's tion was published Manual" in 1857. Bell's letters are writsizes; full size, half size, and ten in three letters "tick" size. Pitman makes his of two lengths only, full size and half size (the half-sized letters expressing an additional t or d. The principal point of difference in the two systems is, that Bell subordinates his alphabet to a theory of sounds which is strictly correct; and Pitman, while acknowledging the principle of a phonetic representation, consults the convenience of the writer in the selection of signs. For example, the broad distinction of voice and breath consonants was first marked by Pitman by the happy expedient of writing heavy strokes for the voice letters b, d, j, g, v, th (in then), z, zh, and light strokes for the breath letters p, t ch, k, f, th (in thin), s, sh. Bell adopted the same principle. Shorthand is now largely practiced in both England and the United States, and has extended its benefits to many classes besides that of the professional reporter. This is due chiefly to the excellences of Pitman's system and to his activity in disseminating its principles. The exis- , one tence of two styles of phonography adapted for letter writing and the other for reporting-the second, however, being only an extension of the first, and not a new system in itself-has been the chief basis of the popularity of phonetic shorthand. Popular modifications of Pitman's system have been made in the United States by Graham, Burnz, Munson and others. Shorthand machines for rapid dictation are considerably used. In 1909 the National Shorthand Reporters' Association appointed a committee to standardize variations and establish shorthand on a thoroughly scientific basis.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
any system of shortened penmanship that enables the writer to keep pace with a speaker. Shorthand was practiced by the Greeks and Romans. Xenophon is said, on slender authority, however, to have taken shorthand notes of the lectures and talks of Socrates. The earliest positive mention of Greek shorthand dates from the second century. The earliest actual specimens date from the tenth century. They are preserved at Paris and in the British Museum . Shorthand was taught at an early date in the schools of Rome. A Greek servant of Cicero invented a new system of Latin shorthand in which to make notes of his master's letters and orations. The shorthand system of Tiro, this invaluable scribe, continued to be used for several centuries. Scribes were employed by the early Christians to take down the sermons of bishops, the acts of councils, the lives of martyrs, etc. Tiro's notes, as the system was called, were used in France as late as the eleventh century. Although French, German, Italian, and other modern languages have their shorthand systems, modern shorthand is of English origin. It appears to date from the period of the Reformation. Charles Dickens, the novelist, was an expert stenographer. He won his way in the world by taking parliamentary proceedings and political speeches in shorthand, preparing reports for the press. Over five hundred professed systems have been advanced in England and a large number have appeared in the United States and other English-speaking countries. The most celebrated of these systems is that of an English schoolmaster, Isaac Pitman, published in 1837 under the title of Stenographic Sound-hand. It was published at fourpence by Samuel Bagster, the publisher of Bagster's Bibles. The name was changed subsequently from sound-hand to phonography, a Greek compound having the same meaning. One of the inexpensive manuals written by Dr. Pitman reached a sale in Great Britain and in the colonies of over a million copies. Pitman's system has of late been modified and simplified, but the modern system is evidently based on his characters and follows his general plan of a character for each sound or combination of sounds. If written with accuracy, a shorthand manuscript is as little subject to doubt as ordinary penmanship. In actual practice the vowel sounds are omitted usually. In addition to Pitman shorthand, the Graham, the Longley, the Munson, and the Gregg systems find favor in business colleges. The American Congress expends $20,000 a year for shorthand reporters and stenographers to report its proceedings. See Pitman ; Pepys ; Dickens