Page:Hill's manual of social and business forms.djvu/87

Rh, irregular, or exceptional word-forms—and the more brief and complicated styles for the reporter's use.

Of the various systems of Short-hand, that called Tachygraphy ( Ta-kig-ra-fe), a system invented and elaborated by D. P. Lindsley, of Andover, Mass., probably more nearly meets the requirements of the public than any now in use; the advantage of this system of Short-hand being, that it combines rapidity with completeness of detail in a very large degree. By permission of Mr. Lindsley we are enabled to present the following synopsis and illustrations from his work, "Elements of Tachygraphy," published by Otis Clapp, No. 3 Beacon St., Boston.

THE ALPHABET OF TACHYGRAPHY.

CONSONANTAL SIGNS.

VOCAL SIGNS

Entered. according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by D. P. Linpstry in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

In writing Tachygraphy the pen should be held between the first and second fingers, and steadied by the thumb—as shown in the cut at the beginning of this chapter—so that such signs as may be easily made, without changing the position of the pen.

The alphabet should be thoroughly mastered by taking up the signs in pairs, and writing them many times, repeating the sound represented as the sign is made, so as to get the sound allied with the sign, and both well fixed in the mind. It will be noticed that all heavy signs represent vocal sounds, while nearly all the light signs represent whispered sounds.

The signs, are always written downward;  from left to right;  are either upward or downward, and, always upward. In joining consonant signs with each other, acute angles should be made where possible, as they are more easily and rapidly made than obtuse angles.

The joining of a vowel sign with a consonant, at its beginning, should always form an angle, thus:

Abe, eke, it, of, owes, on, oil, are.

At the end of a consonant, the semi-circular vowels are written, either in their aiphabetic form or as hooks on the consonant, whichever is most convenient and adds most to facility in writing. The vowels??, (distinguished mainly by size), are determined by their being written in the direction the hands of a clock move—turning far enough to the right to form a proper angle with the following sign;

and?? (also distinguished mainly by size), are determined by their being written in the opposite direction. Examples:

Be, kid, keen, deep, tick, fish, leap, hid, car, tan, narrow, last.