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Lesson 17

 

SEMICIRCLE W

(A)

 

A small clockwise semicircle is used instead of stroke Way before K G M Ar Ray:

  • Always read first

  • Never written anticlockwise

  • Written parallel to the stroke

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
walk wake woke wicked week/weak

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

wag wig wigwam war wire

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

were wear/ware wore weir worse

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

worsen worst work worm warm

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

worry worried weary wearied warp

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

worth worthless worthy womb womanly*

 

* "woman" is a special outline given in Lesson 26 Final Hooks1

If the word begins with a vowel, use stroke Way as normal:
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
awake awoke aware award

 

The Way stroke is used here, instead of the semicircle W sign, to suggest the extra syllable of the triphone:

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

Wyoming


(B) Short Forms
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
with when what would

To help remember these:

"with, when" are spoken with dot vowels and face open to the right

"what, would" are spoken with dash vowels and face open to the left

Do not recite these as a foursome as a way of remembering them, as that habit will greatly hinder the rapid recall of each one in the future. Learn them instead as individual examples in sentences and phrases.

Phrases
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
with the, with it, with much, with which, with each

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

with those, with this, with these, with them, with themselves

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

when the, when it is, when does, when they, when we have
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
what does, what do they, what do you, what would be, what would have

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

what have they, what can be, what can they, what was, what were the

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

would be, it would be, it would have, you would, you would be, you would have

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

would have had, which would be, which would have, would never


(C) These turn the "you" on its side:
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
with you, when you, what you, would you

The short forms "with when what would" are never rotated in a phrase, like "you" sometimes is, although they may be tilted slightly to remain parallel to the stroke:

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

what may be, what must, would make, would receive

 

The Circle S is used in phrases for "us" as well as the short forms "is, his". Not all variations are shown below:
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
with us/with his, when is/when his, when is the

what is/what his, what is the, would his

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

when is it, what is it

 

"As/has" can also be phrased as above, but as most phrases are likely to use "is", it is clearer to write the "as" sign separately in its own position above the line:

 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand

when has, when has it, when has the, what has, what has it, what has the

 

(D) Omission Phrases

In phrases, the semicircle W of "were" can be omitted or written with stroke Way + Ray, whichever is more convenient:
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
you were, if you were, which were, who were
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
they were, we were, many were, when were/when we are

In these, either the W or the K of "week" is omitted:
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
this week, next
* week, last** week

* This word is reduced to "ness" in this phrase  ** Omits the T sound
 

Pitman's New Era Shorthand
many weeks, few weeks, few weeks ago, past few weeks

SUMMARY

  • Semicircle W is used before K G M Ray Ar

  • Not used if there is a vowel before the W sound

  • May be angled slightly, but never rotated in a phrase

 

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"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

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