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Chords

Left hand consonants

These chords start a syllable.

Phonetic: underlined letter(s) represents a sound
Orthographic: underlined letter(s) represents a spelling

Chord	Representation	Notes	Examples
`S`	s- (voiced and unvoiced)	Phonetic	sip `SEUP`, design `TKE/SAOEUPB`
`T`	t-	Phonetic	type `TAOEUP`, mentor `PHEPB/TOR`
`K`	k-	Phonetic	cut `KUT`, jacket `SKWRA/KET`
`P`	p-	Phonetic	pay `PAEU`, super `SAOU/PER`
`W`	w-	Phonetic	want `WAUPBT`, subway `SUB/WAEU`
`H`	h-	Orthographic	hour `HOUR`, exhale `EBGS/HAEUL`
`R`	r-	Phonetic	root `RAOT`, derision `TKE/REUGS`
`ST`	st-	Phonetic	state `STAEUT`, install `EUPB/STAUL`
`SK`	sk-	Phonetic	school `SKAOL`, obscure `OB/SKAOUR`
`SP`	sp-	Phonetic	spew `SPAOU`, retrospect `RE/TROE/SPEBGT`
`SH`	sh-	Phonetic	shoe `SHAOU`, conscious `KOPB/SHUS`
`SR`	v-	Phonetic	voice `SROEUS`, devote `TKE/SROET`
`TK`	d-	Phonetic	dad `TKAD`, meadow, `PHE/TKOE`
`TP`	f-	Orthographic (see `TP*` below)	far `TPAR`, confess `KOPB/TPES`
`TP*`	ph-	Orthographic	phi `TPAOEU`, cipher `SAOEU/TPER`
`TW`	tw- and chw-	Phonetic	twig `TWEUG`, mutual `PHAOU/TWAL`
`TH`	th-	Orthographic	thought `THAUT`, feather
`TR`	tr-	Phonetic	trod `TROD`, retry `RE/TRAOEU`
`KP`	x-	Orthographic	x-ray `KP/RA*EU`, anxiety `APBG/KPAOEU/TEU`
`KW`	qu-	Orthographic	quay `KWAOE`, equal `AOE/KWAUL`
`KH`	ch-	Phonetic	chance `KHAPBS`, culture `KUL/KHUR`
`PW`	b-	Phonetic	bot `PWOT`, limber `HREUPL/PWER`
`PH`	m-	Phonetic	mat `PHAT`, femur `TPAOE/PHUR`
`PR`	pr-	Phonetic	pride `PRAOEUD`, approve `A/PRAOUF`
`WH`	wh-	Orthographic	whose `WHAOUS`, narwhal `TPHAR/WHAL`
`WR`	wr-	Orthographic	write `WRAOEUT`, unwrap `UPB/WRAP`
`HR`	l-	Phonetic	live `HREUF`, solar `SOE/HRAR`
`STK`	des- and dis-	Phonetic	descent `STKEPBT`, disarm `STKARPL`
`STR`	str-	Phonetic	strap `STRAP`, defenestrate `TKE/TPE/TPHE/STRAEUT`
`SKR`	skr-	Phonetic	scree `SKRAOE`, subscribe `SUB/SKRAOEUB`
`SPW`	int- and ent-	Phonetic	enter `SPWER`, intern `SPWERPB`
`SPH`	sm-	Phonetic	smell `SPHEL`, small `SPHAUL`
`SPR`	spr-	Phonetic	spray `SPRAEU`, sprout `SPROUT`
`TKW`	div-	Phonetic	divine `TKWAOEUPB`, divisible `TKWEUFBL`
`TKR`	dr-	Phonetic	drag `TKRAG`, laundry `HRAUPB/TKREU`
`TPH`	n-	Phonetic	not `TPHOT`, cornet `KOR/TPHET`
`TPR`	fr-	Phonetic	from `TPROPL`, afraid `A/TPRAEUD`
`KPH`	com-	Phonetic	commend `KPHEPBD`, commission `KPHEUGS`
`KPR`	compr-	Phonetic	comprise `KPRAOEUS`, decompression `TKE/KPREGS`
`KWH`	y-	Orthographic	yes `KWHES`, yeet `KWHAOET`
`PWR`	br-	Phonetic	bring `PWREUPBG`, embrace `EPL/PWRAEUS`
`SKWR`	j-	Phonetic	jam `SKWRAPL`, roger `RO/SKWRER`
`TKPW`	g-	Phonetic	got `TKPWOT`, cigar `SEU/TKPWAR`
`PWHR`	bl-	Phonetic	bland `PWHRAPBD`, rambler `RAPL/PWHRER`
`STKPW`	z-	Orthographic	zoo `STKPWAO`,
`TKPWR`	gr-	Phonetic	grade `TKPWRAEUD`, pictograph `PEUBG/TOE/TKPWRAF`
`TKPWHR`	gl-	Phonetic	glade `TKPWHRAEUD`, polyglot `PO/HREU/TKPWHROT`

Right hand consonants

These chords end a syllable

Phonetic: underlined letter(s) represents a sound
Orthographic: underlined letter(s) represents a spelling

Chord	Representation	Notes	Examples
`-F`	-f, -v, and -s	Phonetic	stuff `STUF`, live `HREUF`, trust `TRUFT`
`-R`	-r	Phonetic	far `TPAR`, inherit `EUPB/HER/KWREUT`
`-P`	-p	Phonetic	tap `TAP`, grapple `TKPWRAP/-L`
`-B`	-b	Phonetic	lab `TAB`, obscure `OB/SKAOUR`
`-L`	-l	Phonetic	tell `TEL`, volcano `SROEL/KAEU/TPHOE`
`-G`	-g	Phonetic	sag `SAG`, ignite
`-T`	-t	Phonetic	net `TPHET`, atlas `AT/HRAS`
`-S`	-s	Phonetic	sass `SAS`, misty `PHEUS/TEU`
`-D`	-d	Phonetic	cad `KAD`, kidney `KEUD/TPHEU`
`-FR`	-fer and -ver	Phonetic	lover `HROFR`, cipher
`-FP`	-ch and -sp	Phonetic	such `SUFP`, lisp `HREUFP`
`-FL`	-f_l and -v_l	Phonetic	playful `PHRAEUFL`, valve `SRAFL`
`-FT`	-ft and -st	Phonetic	loft `HROFT`, host `HOEFT`
`*S`	-st (secondary chord)	Phonetic	lift `HREUFT`, list `HR*EUS`
`-RP`	-rp	Phonetic	harp `HARP`, corp `KORP`
`-RB`	-rb and -sh	Phonetic	curb `KURB`, flash `TPHRARB`
`-RL`	-r_l	Phonetic	viral `SRAOEURL`, curl `KURL`
`-RT`	-rt	Phonetic	part `PART`, sport `SPORT`
`-RD`	-rd	Phonetic	card `KARD`, herd, `HERD`
`-PB`	-n	Phonetic	green `TKPWRAOEPB`, anther `APB/THER`
`-PL`	-m	Phonetic	seem `SAOEPL`, template `TEPL/PHRAT`
`-PT`	-pt	Phonetic	slept `SHREPT`, opt `OPT`
`-BL`	-_b_l	Phonetic	visible `SREUFBL`, verbal `SRERBL`
`-BG`	-k	Phonetic	truck `TRUBG`, taxi `TABG/SEU`
`-LG`	-lch	Phonetic	mulch `PHULG`, welch `WELG`
`*LG`	-lk	Phonetic	elk `ELG`, sulk `SULG`
`-LT`	-l_t	Phonetic	tilt `TEULT`, roulette `RAOULT`
`-LD`	-ld	Phonetic	sold `SOELD`, cold `KOELD`
`-GT`	-xt	Phonetic	text `TEGT`, context `KOPB/TEGT`
`-GS`	-shun	Phonetic	ocean `OEGS`, motion `PHOEGS`
`-FRB`	-rv	Phonetic	carve `KAFRB`, serve `SEFRB`
`-PBG`	-ng and -nj	Phonetic	sing `SEUPBG`, hing `HEUPBG`
`-PBT`	-nt	Phonetic	hint `HEUPBT`, saint `SAEUPBT`
`-PBS`	-ns	Phonetic	dance `TKAPBS`, rinse `REUPBS`
`-PBD`	-nd	Phonetic	sand `SAPBD`, kind `KAOEUPBD`
`-BGT`	-kt	Phonetic	pact `PABGT`, expect `EBGS/PEBGT`
`-BGS`	-x and -kshun	Phonetic	tax `TABGS`, traction `TRABGS`
`*BGS`	-kshun (secondary chord)	Phoentic	sex `SEBGS`, section `SE*BGS`
`-FRPB`	-rch and -nch	Phonetic	search `SEFRPB`, bench `PWEFRPB`
`-FRPBLG`	-nch (secondary chord)	Phonetic	lurch `HRUFRPB`, lunch `HRUFRPBLG`
`-PBLG`	-j	Phonetic	gauge `TKPWAEUPBLG`, surge `SURPBLG`

Vowels

TODO: add IPA, pronunciation guides, more examples.

Short vowels

There are 5 short vowels defined in Lapwing, one for each letter. There are only 4 vowel keys: A, O, E, and U. Therefore, the EU chord is used to represent the 5th vowel: i.

If a short vowel is spelled with a single letter, the corresponding vowel key/chord is used.

If a short vowel is spelled with multiple letters, the vowel key/chord closest in pronunciation is used.

NOTE: this rule has some leeway. The dictionary may contain multiple entries if there is ambiguity.

Below is a table of short vowels as defined in Lapwing.

Sound	Example	Steno outline
Short a	cat	`KAT`
Short e	pet	`PET`
Short i	sit	`SEUT`
Short o	lot	`HROT`
Short u	hut	`HUT`

Short o exception

Since there are a lot of homophones with short o vowels, any short o sound that isn’t spelled with a single “o” is written with the AU chord.

bot PWOT
bought PWAUT
cot KOT
caught KAUT
spa SPAU

NOTE: Lapwing is based on North American English, specifically my accent of English. To me, all of the words above (as well as the first vowel in “father” and “bother”) are exactly the same (cot-caught merger, father-bother merger). If your accent is closer to British English, see Warbler Theory.

Short vowels with `-R`

The following sounds are also considered short vowels (and therefore follow previously mentioned short vowel rules), but are distinct to the 5 sounds listed above.

Sound	Example	Steno outline
Short a	cart	`KART`
Short e	herd	`HERD`
Short i	sir	`SEUR`
Short o	lore	`HROR`
Short u	hurt	`HURT`

NOTE: “herd”, “sir”, and “hurt” actually have the same vowel.

Long vowels

Below is a list of long vowels as defined by Lapwing.

Sound	Example	Steno outline
Long a	cane	`KAEUPB`
Long e	heed	`HAOED`
Long i	sigh	`SAOEU`
Long o	low	`HROE`
Long u	hue	`HAOU`

These vowels are purely phonetic. Their steno chords correspond to sounds.

Long vowels with `-R`

The following sounds are also considered long vowels (and are therefore entirely phonetic), but are distinct to the 5 previously discussed long vowels.

Sound	Example	Steno outline
Long a	cairn	`KAEURPB`
Long e	here	`HAOER`
Long i	sire	`SAOEUR`
Long u	cure	`KAOUR`

The sound listed as a long a can sometimes be spelled with a single e, such as in the word “herr”. In these cases spelled with a single e, the ER chord should be used. AEUR is reserved for all other spellings.

Out of order syllables

Despite all the chords listed above, some syllables cannot be written in one stroke. When this is the case, write as much of the word as possible in one stroke, and finish the rest in another stroke.

helm HEL/-PL
kiln KEUL/-PB

For words ending in -v or -t, the -F or -T keys would normally be used. However, these keys on their own are briefs for the common words “of” and “the”. To prevent any potential conflicts, use *F and *T instead to end these words.

elf EL/*F
list HREUS/*T

NOTE: using the -FT or *S chords is preferred for ending a a syllable with -st.

Affix strokes

Most strokes are defined as words, meaning they are separated by spaces. However, affix strokes suppress spaces either before or after their translation. These are defined using curly braces {} and carets ^.

For example, the TPHOPB stroke is defined as {non^}. The curly braces indicate that they contain special formatting, and the caret indicates where the space is ignored. Therefore, writing TPHOPB/KAT would result in “noncat”.

Prefixes

Prefix strokes suppress spaces such that they are attached to the next stroke stroke.

onlook OPB/HRAOBG
- {on^} OPB
relearn RAOE/HRERPB
- {re^} RAOE

Common prefixes are written as if they were regular words (e.g. pre^ and on^ are just written using the chords above).

Suffixes

Suffix strokes suppress spaces such that they are attached to the next stroke.

Standalone right hand suffixes

`KWR` suffixes

`_*R` suffixes

Suffix keys

The following keys by themselves are defined as suffixes.

{^ing} -G
{^s} -S
{^ed} -D
{^s} -Z

Compound words

Compound words are written with the asterisk on the first stroke of the second word.

keyboard KEU/PWAO*RD
mousepad PHOUS/PA*D
storybook STOR/KWREU/PWAO*RBG
textbook TEGT/PWAO*BG

Syllabic splitting

Proper nouns

Prefixed proper noun dictionaries

Movement keys, keyboard shortcuts, commands

Punctuation

Right hand number pad

Fingerspelling

Consonant doubling with prefixes

Consonants can be doubled if the previous stroke is a prefix and the strokes that follow form a valid word on their own:

TKEUS/SOFLS → dissolves
TKEUS/SEU/PHEU/HRAR → dissimilar

Of course, if it makes sense to you to disregard this exception then feel free to add entries such as TK*EU/SEU/PHEU/HRAR → dissimilar to your dictionary.

Consonant doubling with “ng”

Words with “ng” such as “mango” would not be able to be defined accurately if consonants could not be doubled across strokes. Thus it is acceptable for these words to double the “G” across strokes:

PHAPBG/TKPWOE → mango
TPEUPBG/TKPWER → finger
SEUPBG/TKPWAOU/HRAR → singular

`-R` as a vowel

Situations that benefit from dropping unstressed vowels

Conflict resolution

If two homophones must be resolved using asterisk, there are a few aspects of each word that will decide which word gets precedence.

If there are repeat letters in a word, that will use asterisk

#HART/PHAPB → Hartman
#HART/PHA*PB → Hartmann

If two words differ in a vowel, (especially with Y or I), the asterisk will go to the word that doesn’t match the vowel as spelt

#HREUPB → Lin
#HR*EUPB → Lynn

“kr” gets precedence over “chr” and “cr” in KR- as it matches the keys more

#KREUS/TEU → Kristy
#KR*EUS/TEU → Christy
- Also can be written #KHREUS/TEU

“x” and “ks” gets precedence over “kshun” in“ -BGS

TRABGS → tracks
TRA*BGS → traction
RE/TPHREBGS → reflex
RE/TPHR*EBGS → reflection
The one exception to this rule is TKEUBGS → diction; I like being able to write “dictionary” as TKEUBGS/KWRAER. Seeing “dicks” show up before writing KWRAER seems silly.

For conflicts with words ending “i” vs “y”, use EU and KWREU respectively

#TE/REU → Terri
#TER/KWREU → Terry
#SAPL/KWREU → Sammy
#SA/PHEU → Sammi

Lapwing for Beginners