Legends of Speed Codes: Myths & Realities

This article explores the famous “speed codes”—shorthand systems like Speedwriting and Pitman Shorthand—that were once marketed as ways to write as fast as people speak. You’ll learn what they actually are, how they work, why they mostly faded, and whether any modern equivalent still exists.

Formula

The calculator above estimates a realistic shorthand speed after a given practice routine. The formula is:

Estimated Speed = min(120, Target + Hours per Week × Months × 1.5)

Variables:

• Target speed (words per minute) – your initial dictation speed.
• Practice hours per week – time spent drilling shorthand outlines.
• Months – duration of consistent practice.
• 1.5 wpm gain per hour-week-month – a rough, optimistic learning curve based on anecdotal reports from shorthand learners.
• 120 wpm cap – the practical ceiling for most manual shorthand systems without years of expert refinement.

This is a heuristic, not a scientific law. Real progress varies wildly by system, aptitude, and practice quality.

Worked Example

Using the defaults: target 80 wpm, 5 hours/week, 6 months.

1. Hours × Months = 5 × 6 = 30
2. 30 × 1.5 = 45 wpm gain
3. 80 + 45 = 125 wpm
4. Cap at 120 → 120 wpm

The calculator shows 120 wpm. That matches the theoretical maximum for a dedicated learner using a full shorthand system.

What Were Speed Codes?

“Speed codes” is a loose term covering any writing system designed to capture speech faster than normal longhand. The most famous are:

• Pitman Shorthand (1837) – uses thin and thick strokes, light and heavy dots, and position to represent sounds. It is phonetic, not spelling-based.
• Gregg Shorthand (1888) – uses cursive-like elliptical strokes, also phonetic, and avoids shading.
• Speedwriting (1924) – uses the regular alphabet with abbreviations and silent-letter removal, so it’s easier to learn but slower.
• Teeline (1968) – a simplified system that drops vowels and uses letter fragments; now the standard for UK journalism.

These are “codes” in the sense that they encode sounds, not because they are secret. Each system has a complete set of rules for representing every phoneme in English.

How Shorthand Codes Work

All shorthand systems share a core trick: they write sounds, not letters. For example, in Pitman, the word “pay” is a single light stroke for the /p/ sound, with a dot above for the long /a/. The word “bee” is the same stroke but heavier (voiced). Position on the line (above, on, through) indicates vowels.

Gregg uses curves and loops; the shape of the curve indicates the consonant, and the size or orientation indicates the vowel. Speedwriting uses ordinary letters but drops most vowels: “please” becomes pls, “would” becomes wd. Teeline strips out silent letters and uses half-sized letters for common suffixes like -tion and -ing.

Because the writer is not spelling every letter, the pen moves far less. A typical longhand speed is 25–30 wpm. After a few months of shorthand, people reach 60–80 wpm. Experts can hit 120–150 wpm, which is roughly the speed of normal conversation.

Why Did Speed Codes Decline?

Shorthand was once essential for secretaries, court reporters, and journalists. Dictation was the primary way to create documents. But three things killed the mass market:

• Audio recording – tape recorders, then digital recorders, made it possible to capture speech verbatim without any writing skill.
• Typing and word processors – keyboards allow fast entry, and software can transcribe speech (though imperfectly).
• Cost of training – mastering a full shorthand system takes 1–2 years of daily practice, while typing courses take weeks.

Today, shorthand survives in niche professions: court reporters use stenotype machines (a chorded keyboard that types syllables), and some journalists still use Teeline to take interview notes quickly.

Modern Speed Codes: Text Abbreviations and Stenography

The spirit of speed codes lives on in text messaging abbreviations like u, r, lol, and brb. These are not a full writing system, but they do compress common phrases. More systematic is stenotype, used in court reporting: a court reporter presses multiple keys at once to write a whole syllable, achieving 225 wpm.

Another modern descendant is Plover, a free open-source stenography engine that lets anyone use a stenotype keyboard with a regular computer. It is a real speed code, just not one you can use on a normal keyboard.

For everyday note-taking, many people use a personal shorthand: abbreviations, symbols (like @ for “at”, & for “and”), and bullet points. That is not a formal code, but it serves the same purpose.

How to Choose a Speed Code

If you want to learn one, consider your goal:

• Speedwriting or Teeline – easiest to learn (3–6 months to 60 wpm), uses normal letters, good for note-taking.
• Gregg or Pitman – harder but can reach 120+ wpm, best for professional dictation.
• Stenotype – requires special hardware, but can hit 200+ wpm, used in courtrooms.
• Personal abbreviations – zero learning curve, but you must remember your own system.

Ask yourself: do you need verbatim accuracy (court reporting) or just the gist (meeting notes)? Do you have months to practice, or do you need it next week? Do you mind writing symbols, or do you prefer alphabet-based systems?

Common Mistakes and Limitations

Beginners often make these errors:

• Mixing systems – combining Pitman and Gregg rules creates confusion and slows you down.
• Skipping drills – shorthand is a motor skill; you need daily practice, not weekly.
• Ignoring penmanship – sloppy outlines are unreadable later.
• Assuming it’s a secret code – anyone can learn it; it’s not cryptography.

Limitations: shorthand is useless for typing, and most systems cannot capture every proper noun or technical term without writing them out. Also, reading back your own shorthand after a long time can be hard because outlines are context-dependent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is shorthand still used today?

Yes, but rarely. Court reporters use stenotype machines, and some journalists use Teeline. Most office workers use laptops, so shorthand has largely vanished from general use.

Can I teach myself shorthand?

Yes, with books or online courses. Speedwriting and Teeline are self-teachable in a few months. Pitman and Gregg require more discipline, but self-study is possible if you practice daily.

What is the fastest shorthand system?

Stenotype is the fastest, with skilled court reporters reaching 225 wpm. Among manual pen systems, Pitman and Gregg can exceed 150 wpm in expert hands.

How long does it take to learn shorthand?

For Speedwriting, about 3 months to reach 60 wpm. For Gregg or Pitman, expect 1–2 years to hit 100+ wpm. Daily practice is essential.

Is there a shorthand for computers?

Yes, Plover software turns a stenotype keyboard into a computer input method. It requires the special keyboard, but it works for any text.

Do text abbreviations count as a speed code?

They are a form of abbreviation, but not a full code because they don’t cover all words. They are useful for texting, but you can’t write a full transcript with them.

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in wpm | Target speed (words/min) | - | 80 | 0
in h | Practice hours per week | - | 5 | 0
in m | Months of practice | - | 6 | 0
out est | Estimated achievable speed | words/min | min(120, wpm + h * m * 1.5) | 0