OMISSION OF VOWEL SIGNS

All the example outlines in the Lessons are fully vocalised but at some point you should start omitting the vowel signs in dictated and practice matter, in order to speed up writing. Pitman's Shorthand can only be written at speed and in a light flowing style by omitting most vowel signs. The system has various rules to overcome the absence of vowel signs, but there will always be instances where a vowel sign must be written in, to prevent a misreading. There is no time when taking down from live speech to consider the options, so it is necessary to be well acquainted with the most frequent examples of when a vowel is needed or advisable.

Outlines in Lessons and Exercises will continue to be vocalised for learning purposes, but when you write them out, either doing facility drills or taking from dictation, vowel signs should be reduced to a minimum, depending on how confident you feel that you can read it back without them.

The examples below show the essential vowel signs.

(A) HELPFUL VOWELS

Write the vowel in single stroke outlines as there is already very little information to go on:
 

up pay tow day edge jay

ache Kaye aim mow off for

Initial and final vowels, unless the outline itself indicates their presence:
 

appear attack foggy chilly icy

Add vowels to any outline where you are unsure of its formation or position, or which has been badly or wrongly written or placed, to ensure correct transcription.

(B) ESSENTIAL VOWELS

Vowels that distinguish otherwise identical or very similar outlines/phrases from each other:

auditor daughter, opposite apposite

adapt adopt, absolute obsolete

think thought, pass oppose

Joined vowels should always be written as they are part of the main outline:
 

item idle identity island oil owl
 

night deny now doubt about

few new/knew issue alternative

The joined W Semicircle is never omitted, other than a few phrases, as it is a consonant sign and not a vowel:
 

week wig were worry women

you were, who were, there were, this week, next week, last week

Names & Numbers

Personal and place names should have all their vowels inserted, whether they come in similar pairs or not. If there are not likely to be any clashes, the vowels can be inserted on the first occurrence only. Without clarification somewhere in the notes, they are not guessable after the event. Names are covered in full in Lesson 53.

If you have written an outline for a number, some of them must have a vowel to prevent possible clashes with other outlines or numerals, especially as outlines and their positions can deteriorate when written at speed:
 

nine none, eight eighty, ten eighteen

Letter O, Zero, Nought The outlines are all different, but if writing numerals, you have the choice of putting a caps mark under the capital letter O, and a slash through the zero or nought, to make it perfectly clear what is meant:
 

Oh zero nought - letter O, numeral 0

Numbers are covered in full in Lesson 54

(C) PHRASES

Phrases where an outline becomes out of position may need clarification by inserting a vowel. Phrases like the following are essential for accuracy, and note these are just some of the possible variations:
 

of me, of him, to me, to him, to give, to go

there is any way, there is no way, at last, at least

at home, for those, for this, for these

for the, off the, for the record, off the record

In some groups of words, it is helpful to always phrase the commonest one and never phrase the less common one, so that it is always clear which one is meant. Generally a halved stroke is the one kept separate:
 

I can, I could, you can, you could

I am, I may, I might, you may, you might

I know that the, I note that the

If you have already written "not" within a phrase, then insert its vowel:
 

it is unnecessary, it is not necessary, it is not necessary

It is sometimes necessary to insert the final vowel in "any", even though short forms are not vocalised, to differentiate from "in", and also put the vowel in "no" and "not" in phrases:

Did they get any? Did they get in?

They must not* go any deeper. They must not* go in deeper.

* This phrase omits the T of "must"

There is no time for that. There is not time for that.

It may be that the context would make it clear, but you will not know that until after the event, therefore the phrase must be written in a way that avoids ambiguity.

Apostrophied versions must always have their vowel written in, as in some outlines it is only the presence of the vowel that distinguishes it:

I cannot, I can't, we cannot, we can't

I do not, I don't, I did not, I didn't

we do not, we don't, we did not, we didn't

Notice that "did not" has to be in position, because it cannot be clarified with a vowel sign, as that would make it "didn't". Therefore, either lower the phrase or don't phrase it at all, so it is never anywhere but on the line.

I did not, and did not, he did not, she did not, we did not, they did not

The phrase outline "had not" requires its two dots (Dot Hay and vowel dot), to keep it different from all the above, but in practice it is quicker and clearer to just not phrase:

had not, I had not, and had not, we had not

Quicker, clearer: had not   The apostrophied version: hadn't

(D) Dot Hay and most intervening vowels can be omitted from normal outlines, as the longer outlines are generally clear without them, although you must know where to write the vowel signs if necessary, for example if an outline is badly written:

likelihood household apprehension

correspondence parallel direction

Many of the longer outlines are unique in shape and never need vowels:
 

accomplish fantastic illegible*

* This negative has two L strokes, so it does not rely on insertion of a vowel mark, further on this method in Lesson 46

observation hesitation spectacular

Detached signs that are not vowels (Con Dot, Self Circle, Dot Ing) should always be written as they are part of the main consonantal outline. "Con" and "Self" are introduced in the Prefixes and Suffixes Lessons.

In any shorthand writing, it will always be essential to be able to insert a vowel sign instantly and accurately, as the need arises. When assimilating and drilling new outlines, the vowels should be included at first so that they are learned correctly and, once known confidently, further drilling and dictations can omit them, as the skill in reading back increases. In this way the signs are constantly being revised, without holding back speed development.
 

SUMMARY

• Vowel signs helpful for single stroke outlines

• First or last vowel helpful

• Vowel essential for various distinguishing pairs

• Joined vowels and joined W sign never omitted

• Names and certain numbers need their vowel signs

• To create distinguishing pairs when phrasing, don't phrase the halved outline: can/could, know/note, may/might

Top of page