Shorthand

[prog]

This is a curious image of a reporter writing in shorthand, found by dougo.

My whole life I understood the word "shorthand" as a synonym for "abbreviation", not a complete and formal writing system that looks like alien script to the uninitiated. But the commenters on that photograph say it's so, and Wikipedia agrees, with yet more graphic evidence. Very interesting!

Comments

[cortezopossum.livejournal.com]

A friend's mom used to use Gregg shorthand for taking dictation where she worked (I worked there too for a while). It used to be a pretty common skill. I looked into it as well but never learned it myself.