What is the Meaning & Definition of shorthand

Historical background

Most historical sources attest that the Phoenicians were the creators of alphabetic writing 3500 years ago. In principle the written records were destined for commercial and administrative affairs, but with the passage of time the use of the alphabet was adapted to the literature and other activities where the spelling is the genuine item.
The Romans introduced the habit of abbreviating commonly used words (SC amounted to Senatus Consultos and letter uppercase F means filius, son).
The script was adapted to various everyday circumstances (very especially in the politics and bureaucracy). However, writing was a process slow and laborious and this made it difficult to take notes properly, for example when speakers spoke in the Senate. This technical difficulty made it necessary to invent a system to make writing faster. Known in ancient Rome where it appeared the first set was abbreviated writing (the first antecedent of the shorthand known as Tironianas notes, that has this name in honor of its creator, Marco Tulio flip, who was the personal Secretary of Cicero). Historians agree in considering Marco Tulio jerk as the real initiator of the shorthand.
The Romans shorthand technique was performed on a waxed tablets and an awl or style (hence comes the word fountain) which was used to write as if it were a draft. Subsequently taken with Tironianas notes notes passed to Papyrus or parchment, old versions of the paper. The effectiveness of writing abbreviated soon adapted to legal and political activity (particularly in the taking of statements of the judgements, in the discussions in the various assemblies and the speakers in the Senate).

Evolution of shorthand and its current meaning

The contribution of the Romans was decisive from the 16th century some European Nations create their own system of writing fast. The term began to use English Thomas Shelton in the century XVll shorthand (Tachygraphy was the title of the first treatise on writing fast or short writing). The systematization of Shelton made that shorthand to quickly become an instrumental technique of great relevance for all kinds of activities. The alphabet that he invented was based in curves, straight lines and combinations of both, which represented the vowels and consonants.
Shorthand is currently still used although their use is somewhat restricted. In various parliaments, the court reporters are responsible for taking note of everything you say the representatives of the people. This aspect can draw attention in the digital era, but today found a system that can definitely replace the shorthand.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.